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Ex  Libris 
ISAAC   FOOT 


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LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

RIVERSIDE 


LIGHT     FREIGHTS 


BY   THE   SAME  AUTHOR 

MANY   CARGOES 

THE   SKIPPER'S   WOOING 

SEA   URCHINS 

A    MASTER   OF  CRAFT 


LIGHT   FREIGHTS 


BY 

WA\V  Wk  JACOBS 


WITH    TWELVE    ILLUSTRATIONS 


FOURTH    EDITION 


METHUEN  &  CO. 

36    ESSEX    STREET,    W.C. 

LONDON 

1902 


Edinburgh  :  Printed  by  T.  and  A.  Constable. 


TO 

MY  SISTER  AMY 


CONTENTS 


AN   ODD   FREAK           

PAGE 
I 

A   QUESTION   OF   HABIT 

22 

HARD    LABOUR              

•            •             38 

A   GARDEN    PLOT         ...... 

•            •            56 

PRIVATE   CLOTHES      

•            76 

THE    BULLY    OF   THE    "CAVENDISH3' 

.             .            96 

THE   RESURRECTION   OF   MR.    WIGGETT     . 

.          II4 

A    MARKED    MAN          

•          134 

TO   HAVE   AND   TO   HOLD              .... 

.          151 

BREVET   RANK               

166 

TWIN   SPIRITS 

1S4 

SAM'S    BOY 

207 

A   WILL    AND   A   WAY 

228 

JERRY    BUNDLER          .... 

•         245 

THE    PEACEMAKER      .... 

•         259 

FALSE   COLOURS           

•         279 

LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

"NOW     YOU    LOOK    MORE    LIKE    THE     GAL     YOUR 

father  used  TO  know"     ....   Frontispiece 

PAGE 

IT  WAS   PRETTY  TO   SEE   THE  WAY  WILLIAM   'ANDLED  'iM  1 5 

HE    KEPT   BEHIND  C  49,  AND    CONTENTED    HIMSELF   WITH 

INSULTING    REMARKS 39 

"NOT    BAD    NEWS,     I    'OPE  ? "    SES    BILL       .            .            .            .  6l 

"YOU    TOUCH    THAT    MAN,"    HE   SES,    POINTING    TO   TOM, 
"AND     I'LL     GIVE    YOU     SUCH     A     DRESSING-DOWN 

AS   YOU'VE    NEVER    'AD    BEFORE".            .            .            .  IOO 

HE  WIPED  HIS  EYES   TO  THE    MEMORY   OF   THE  FAITHFUL 

BLACK 129 

"WOT?"    SCREAMS    GINGER.      "TATTOO    ME!"            .            .  I39 

THERE  WAS   UNPLEASANTNESS   ALL   ROUND   THEN    .           .  1 53 

STUDYING   THE   SIGN-POST 199 

*'  don't  TALK   NONSENSE,"   SAID   THE   SKIPPER         .           .  216 

THEN    IN  A  LOW,  'USKY  VOICE    HE    SES,   "i  WILL"    .            .  244 

HE   BURIED   HIS    FACE   IN    IT 2S8 


LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

AN    ODD    FREAK 

SPEAKING  o'  money,"  said  the  night-watch- 
man, thoughtfully,  as  he  selected  an  empty 
soap-box  on  the  wharf  for  a  seat,  "the  whole 
vvorld  would  be  different  if  we  all  'ad  more  of  it. 
It  would  be  a  brighter  and  a  'appier  place  for 
everybody." 

He  broke  off  to  open  a  small  brass  tobacco- 
box  and  place  a  little  quid  of  tobacco  tenderly 
into  a  pouch  in  his  left  cheek,  critically  observing 
at  the  same  time  the  efforts  of  a  somewhat  large 
steamer  to  get  alongside  the  next  wharf  without 
blocking  up  more  than  three-parts  of  the  river. 
He  watched  it  as  though  the  entire  operation 
depended  upon  his  attention,  and,  the  steamer 
fast,  he  turned  his  eyes  back  again  and  resumed 
his  theme. 

"  Of  course  it 's  the  being  short  that  sharpens 
people,"  he  admitted,  thoughtfully  ;  "  the  sharpest 
man  I  ever  knew  never  'ad  a  ha'penny  in  'is 
A 


2  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

pocket,  and  the  ways  'e  had  o'  getting  other 
chaps  to  pay  for  'is  beer  would  ha'  made  'is 
fortin  at  the  law  if  'e 'd  only  'ad  the  eddication. 
Playful  little  chap  'e  was.  I  've  seen  men  wot 
didn't  know  'im  stand  'im  a  pot  o'  beer  and  then 
foller  'im  up  the  road  to  see  'im  knock  down 
a  policeman  as  'e'd  promised.  They'd  foller  'im 
to  the  fust  policeman  'e  met,  an'  then  'e'd  point 
them  out  and  say  they  were  goin'  to  half  kill 
'im,  an'  the  policeman  'ud  just  stroll  up  an'  ask 
'em  wot  they  were  'anging  about  for,  but  I  never 
'eard  of  a  chap  telling  'im.  They  used  to  go  away 
struck  all  of  a  'eap.  He  died  in  the  accident 
ward  of  the  London  Horsepittle,  poor  chap." 

He  shook  his  head  thoughtfully,  and  ignoring 
the  statement  of  the  watchman  at  the  next  wharf 
that  it  was  a  fine  evening,  shifted  his  quid  and 
laughed  rumblingly. 

"The  funniest  way  o'  raising  the  wind  I  ever 
'eard  of,"  he  said,  in  explanation,  "was  one  that 
'appened  about  fifteen  years  ago.  I  'd  just  taken 
my  discharge  as  A.B.  from  the  North  Star,  trad- 
ing between  here  and  the  Australian  ports,  and 
the  men  wot  the  thing  'appened  to  was  shipmates 
o'  mine,  although  on'y  firemen. 

"  I  know  it 's  a  true  story,  becos  I  was  in  it  a 
little  bit  myself,  and  the  other  part  I  'ad  from 
all  of  'em,  and  besides,  they  didn't  see  anything 


AN    ODD    FREAK  3 

funny  in  it  at  all,  or  anything  out  of  the  way. 
It  seemed  to  them  quite  a  easy  way  o'  making 
money,  and  I  dessay  if  it  'ad  come  off  all  right 
I  should  have  thought  so  too. 

11  In  about  a  week  arter  we  was  paid  off  at  the 
Albert  Docks  these  chaps  was  all  cleaned  out, 
and  they  was  all  in  despair,  with  a  thirst  wot 
wasn't  half  quenched  and  a  spree  wot  was  on'y 
in  a  manner  o'  speaking  just  begun,  and  at  the 
end  of  that  time  they  came  round  to  a  room  wot 
I  'ad,  to  see  wot  could  be  done.  There  was  four 
of  'em  in  all :  old  Sam  Small,  Ginger  Dick,  Peter 
Russet,  and  a  orphan  nevy  of  Sam's  whose  father 
and  mother  was  dead.  The  mother  'ad  been  (alf 
nigger  an'  'alf  Malay  when  she  was  living,  and 
Sam  was  always  pertickler  careful  to  point  out 
that  his  nevy  took  arter  'er.  It  was  enough  to 
make  the  pore  woman  turn  in  'er  grave  to  say 
so,  but  Sam  used  to  say  that  'e  owed  it  to  'is 
brother  to  explain. 

"'  Wot's  to  be  done?'  ses  Peter  Russet,  arter 
they'd  all  said  wot  miserable  chaps  they  was, 
an'  'ow  badly  sailor-men  was  paid.  'We're  all 
going  to  sign  on  in  the  Lands  End,  but  she 
doesn't  sail  for  a  fortnight;  wot's  to  be  done  in 
the  meantime  for  to  live  ? ' 

u<  There's  your  watch,  Peter,'  ses  old  Sam, 
dreamy-like,  ' and  there's  Ginger's  ring.     It's  a 


4  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

good  job  you  kep'  that  ring,  Ginger.  We're  all 
in  the  same  boat,  mates,  an'  I  on'y  wish  as  I  'd 
got  something  for  the  general  good.  It's  'aving 
an  orphan  nevy  wot 's  kep'  me  pore.' 

"'Stow  it,'  ses  the  nevy,  short-like. 

" '  Everything 's  agin  us,'  ses  old  Sam.  '  There 's 
them  four  green  parrots  I  brought  from  Brazil, 
all  dead.' 

"'So  are  my  two  monkeys,' ses  Peter  Russet, 
shaking  'is  'ead  ;  '  they  used  to  sleep  with  me,  too.' 

"They  all  shook  their  'eads  then,  and  Russet 
took  Sam  up  very  sharp  for  saying  that  p'r'aps 
if  he  'adn't  slep'  with  the  monkeys  they  wouldn't 
ha'  died.  He  said  if  Sam  knew  more  about 
monkeys  than  wot  'e  did,  why  didn't  'e  put  'is 
money  in  them  instead  o'  green  parrots  wot  pulled 
their  feathers  out  and  died  of  cold. 

"'Talking  about  monkeys,'  ses  Ginger  Dick, 
interrupting  old  Sam  suddenly,  'wot  about  young 
Beauty  here  ? ' 

•"Well,  wot  about  him?'  ses  the  nevy,  in  a 
nasty  sort  o'  way. 

" '  W'y,  'e  's  worth  forty  monkeys  an'  millions 
o'  green  parrots,'  ses  Ginger,  starting  up;  'an' 
here  'e  is  a-wasting  of  'is  opportunities,  going 
about  dressed  like  a  Christian.  Open  your 
mouth,  Beauty,  and  stick  your  tongue  out  and 
roll  your  eyes  a  bit.' 


AN    ODD    FREAK  5 

« « W'y  not  leave  well  alone,  Ginger  ? '  ses 
Russet ;  and  I  thought  so  too.  Young  Beauty 
was  quite  enough  for  me  without  that. 

"'Ter  'blige  me,'  ses  Ginger,  anxiously,  'just 
make  yourself  as  ugly  as  wot  you  can,  Beauty.' 

"'Leave  'im  alone,'  ses  old  Sam,  as  his  nevy 
snarled  at  'em.  '  You  ain't  everybody's  money 
yourself,  Ginger.' 

"'  I  tell  you,  mates,'  ses  Ginger,  speaking  very 
slow  and  solemn,  'there's  a  fortin  in  'im.  I  was 
lookin'  at  'im  just  now,  trying  to  think  who  'e 
reminded  me  of.  At  fust  I  thought  it  was  that 
big  stuffed  monkey  we  saw  at  Melbourne,  then 
I  suddenly  remembered  it  was  a  wild  man  of 
Borneo  I  see  when  I  was  a  kid  up  in  Sunder- 
land. When  I  say  'e  was  a  'andsome,  good-'arted 
looking  gentleman  alongside  o'  you,  Beauty,  do 
you  begin  to  get  my  meaning?' 

"'Wot's  the  idea,  Ginger?'  ses  Sam,  getting 
up  to  lend  me  and  Russet  a  'and  with  'is  nevy. 

" '  My  idea  is  this,'  ses  Ginger :  '  take  'is  cloes 
off  'im  and  dress  'im  up  in  that  there  winder- 
blind,  or  something  o'  the  kind ;  tie  'im  up  with 
a  bit  o'  line,  and  take  'im  round  to  Ted  Reddish 
in  the  'Ighway  and  sell  'im  for  a  'undered  quid  as 
a  wild  man  of  Borneo.' 

'"  Wot?'  screams  Beauty,  in  an  awful  voice. 
1  Let  go,  Peter  ;  let  go,  d'  ye  hear  ? ' 


6  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

""Old  your  noise,  Beauty,  while  your  elders 
is  speaking,'  ses  'is  uncle,  and  I  could  see  'e  was 
struck  with  the  idea. 

"'You  jest  try  dressing  me  up  in  a  winder- 
blind,'  ses  his  nevy,  half-crying  with  rage. 

" '  Listen  to  reason,  Beauty,'  ses  Ginger  ;  '  you  '11 
'ave  your  share  of  the  tin  ;  it  '11  only  be  for  a  day 
or  two,  and  then  when  we've  cleared  out  you 
can  make  your  escape,  and  there  '11  be  twenty- 
five  pounds  for  each  of  us.' 

'"'Ow'do  you  make  that  out,  Ginger?'  ses 
Sam,  in  a  cold  voice. 

"'Fours  into  a  'undered,'  ses  Ginger. 

" '  Ho,'  ses  Sam.  '  Ho,  indeed.  I  wasn't  aweer 
that  'e  was  your  nevy,  Ginger.' 

"'Share  and  share  alike,' ses  Russet.  '  It 's  a 
very  good  plan  o'  yours,  Ginger.' 

"  Ginger  holds  'is  'ead  up  and  looks  at  'im 
'ard. 

" '  I  thought  o'  the  plan,'  'e  ses,  speaking  very 
slow  and  deliberate.  'Sam's  'is  uncle,  and  'e's 
the  wild  man.     Threes  into  a  'undered  go ' 

'"You  needn't  bother  your  fat  'ead  adding  up 
sums,  Ginger,'  ses  Russet,  very  polite.  '  1  'm 
going  to  'ave  my  share ;  else  I  '11  split  to  Ted 
Reddish.' 

"  None  of  'em  said  a  word  about  me :  two  of 
cm  was  sitting  on  my  bed  ;  Ginger  was  using  a 


AN    ODD    FREAK  7 

'ankerchief  o'  mine  wot  'e  found  in  the  fireplace, 
and  Peter  Russet  'ad  'ad  a  drink  out  o'  the  jug 
on  my  washstand,  and  yet  they  never  even 
mentioned  me.  That's  firemen  all  over,  and 
that's  'ow  it  is  they  get  themselves  so  disliked. 

"  It  took  'em  best  part  of  an  'our  to  talk  round 
young  Beauty,  an'  the  langwidge  they  see  fit  to 
use  made  me  thankful  to  think  that  the  parrots 
didn't  live  to  larn  it. 

"  You  never  saw  anything  like  Beauty  when 
they  'ad  finished  with  'im.  If  'e  was  bad  in  'is 
cloes,  'e  was  a  perfeck  horror  without  'em.  Ginger 
Dick  faked  'im  up  beautiful,  but  there  was  no 
pleasing  'im.  Fust  he  found  fault  with  the 
winder-blind,  which  'e  said  didn't  fit ;  then  'e 
grumbled  about  going  bare-foot,  then  'e  wanted 
somethink  to  'ide  'is  legs,  which  was  natural  con- 
sidering the  shape  of  'em.  Ginger  Dick  nearly 
lost  'is  temper  with  'im,  and  it  was  all  old  Sam 
could  do  to  stop  himself  from  casting  'im  off  for 
ever.  He  was  finished  at  last,  and  arter  Peter 
Russet  'ad  slipped  downstairs  and  found  a  bit 
o'  broken  clothes-prop  in  the  yard,  and  'e  'd  been 
shown  'ow  to  lean  on  it  and  make  a  noise,  Ginger 
said  as  'ow  if  Ted  Reddish  got  'im  for  a  'undered 
pounds  'e'd  get  'im  a  bargain. 

" '  We  must  'ave  a  cab,'  ses  old  Sam. 

" '  Cab  ? '  ses  Ginger.     '  What  for  ? ' 


8  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  'We  should  'ave  half  Wapping  following  us,' 
ses  Sam.  '  Go  out  and  put  your  ring  up,  Ginger, 
and  fetch  a  cab.' 

"  Ginger  started  grumbling,  but  he  went,  and 
presently  came  back  with  the  cab  and  the  money, 
and  they  all  went  downstairs  leading  the  wild 
man  by  a  bit  o'  line.  They  only  met  one  party 
coming  up,  and  'e  seemed  to  remember  somethink 
'e  'd  forgotten  wot  ought  to  be  fetched  at  once. 

"Ginger  went  out  fust  and  opened  the  cab- 
door,  and  then  stood  there  waiting  becos  at  the 
last  moment  the  wild  man  said  the  winder-blind 
was  slipping  down.  They  got  'im  out  at  last, 
but  before  'e  could  get  in  the  cab  was  going  up 
the  road  at  ten  miles  an  hour,  with  Ginger  'anging 
on  to  the  door  calling  to  it  to  stop. 

"  It  came  back  at  about  a  mile  an'  a  'alf  an 
hour,  an'  the  remarks  of  the  cabman  was  eggs- 
trordinary.  Even  when  he  got  back  'e  wouldn't 
start  till  'e'd  got  double  fare  paid  in  advance; 
but  they  got  in  at  last  and  drove  off. 

"There  was  a  fine  scene  at  Ted  Reddish's  door. 
Ginger  said  that  if  there  was  a  bit  of  a  struggle 
it  would  be  a  good  advertisement  for  Ted  Red- 
dish, and  they  might  p'r'aps  get  more  than  a 
'undered,  and  all  the  three  of  'em  could  do,  they 
couldn't  get  the  wild  man  out  o'  that  cab,  and 
the  cabman  was  hopping  about  'arf  crazy.    Every 


AN    ODD    FREAK  9 

now  and  then  they'd  get  the  wild  man  'arf  out, 
and  then  he'd  get  in  agin  and  snarl.  'E  didn't 
seem  to  know  when  to  leave  off,  and  Ginger  and 
the  others  got  almost  as  sick  of  it  as  the  cabman. 
It  must  ha'  taken  two  years'  wear  out  o'  that  cab, 
but  they  got  'im  out  at  last,  and  Reddish's  door 
being  open  to  see  what  the  row  was  about,  they 
went  straight  in. 

"'Wot's  all  this? '  ses  Reddish,  who  was  a  tall, 
thin  man,  with  a  dark  moustache. 

"'It's  a  wild  man  o'  Borneo,'  ses  Ginger, 
panting ;  *  we  caught  'im  in  a  forest  in  Brazil, 
an'  we've  come  'ere  to  give  you  the  fust  offer.' 

"  Ted  Reddish  was  so  surprised  'e  couldn't 
speak  at  fust.  The  wild  man  seemed  to  take 
'is  breath  away,  and  'e  looked  in  a  'elpless  kind 
o'  way  at  'is  wife,  who  'd  just  come  down.  She 
was  a  nice-lookin'  woman,  fat,  with  a  lot  o'  yaller 
hair,  and  she  smiled  at  'em  as  though  she'd 
known  'em  all  their  lives. 

"'Come  into  the  parlour,'  she  ses,  kindly,  just 
as  Ted  was  beginning  to  get  'is  breath. 

"  They  followed  'em  in,  and  the  wild  man  was 
just  going  to  make  hisself  comfortable  in  a  easy- 
chair,  when  Ginger  give  'im  a  look,  an'  'e  curled 
up  on  the  'earthrug  instead. 

'"'E  ain't  a  very  fine  specimen,'  ses  Ted  Red- 
dish, at  last. 


io  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"'It's  the  red  side-whiskers  I  don't  like,' ses 
his  wife.  '  Besides,  who  ever  'eard  of  a  wild  man 
in  a  collar  an'  necktie?' 

"'  You've  got  hold  o'  the  wrong  one,'  ses  Ted 
Reddish,  afore  Ginger  Dick  could  speak  up  for 
hisself. 

'"Oh,  I  beg  your  pardin,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish 
to  Ginger,  very  polite.  '  I  thought  it  was  funny 
a  wild  man  should  be  wearing  a  collar.  It 's  my 
mistake.  That 's  the  wild  man,  I  s'pose,  on  the 
'earthrug  ? ' 

'"That 's  'im,  mum,'  ses  old  Sam,  very  short. 

"*  He  don't  look  wild  enough,'  ses  Reddish. 

"'  No  ;  'e's  much  too  tame,'  ses  'is  wife,  shak- 
ing her  yaller  curls. 

"  The  chaps  all  looked  at  each  other  then,  and 
the  wild  man  began  to  think  it  was  time  he  did 
somethink  ;  and  the  nearest  thing  'andy  being 
Ginger's  leg,  'e  put  'is  teeth  into  it.  Anybody 
might  ha'  thought  Ginger  was  the  wild  man 
then,  the  way  'e  went  on,  and  Mrs.  Reddish  said 
that  even  if  he  so  far  forgot  hisself  as  to  use 
sich  langwidge  afore  'er,  'e  oughtn't  to  before  a 
poor  'eathen  animal. 

"'How  much  do  you  want  for  'im?'  ses  Ted 
Reddish,  arter  Ginger  'ad  got  'is  leg  away,  and 
taken  it  to  the  winder  to  look  at  it. 

"'One  'undered  pounds,'  ses  old  Sam. 


AN    ODD    FREAK  *i 

"Ted  Reddish  looked  at  'is  wife,  and  they  both 
larfed  as  though  they  'd  never  leave  orf. 

14 '  Why,  the  market  price  o'  the  best  wild  men 
is  only  thirty  shillings,'  ses  Reddish,  wiping  'is 
eyes.     '  I  '11  give  you  a  pound  for  'im.' 

"  Old  Sam  looked  at  Russet,  and  Russet  looked 
at  Ginger,  and  then  they  all  larfed. 

44  *  Well,  there 's  no  getting  over  you,  I  can  see 
that,'  ses  Reddish,  at  last.     '  Is  he  strong?' 

44 '  Strong  ?  Strong  ain't  the  word  for  it,'  ses  Sam. 

"•Bring  'im  to  the  back  and  let  'im  *ave  a 
wrestle  with  one  o'  the  brown  bears,  Ted,'  ses 
'is  wife. 

"•'E'd  kill  it,'  ses  old  Sam,  hastily. 

"•Never  mind,'  ses  Reddish,  getting  up; 
'  brown  bears  is  cheap  enough.' 

"They  all  got  up  then,  none  of  'em  knowing 
wot  to  do,  except  the  wild  man,  that  is,  and  he 
got  'is  arms  tight  round  the  leg  o'  the  table. 

•' '  Well,'  ses  Ginger,  '  we  '11  be  pleased  for  'im 
to  wrestle  with  the  bear,  but  we  must  'ave  the 
'undered  quid  fust,  in  case  'e  injures  'isself  a 
little.' 

"  Ted  Reddish  looked  'ard  at  'im,  and  then  he 
looked  at  'is  wife  agin. 

44  4 1  '11  just  go  outside  and  talk  it  over  with  the 
missus,'  he  ses,  at  last,  and  they  both  got  ap  and 
went  out 


12  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"'It's  all  right,'  ses  old  Sam,  winking  at 
Ginger. 

" '  Fair  ccp,'  ses  Ginger,  who  was  still  rubbing 
his  leg.  '  I  told  you  it  would  be,  but  there's  no 
need  for  Beauty  to  overdo  it.  He  nearly  'ad  a 
bit  out  o'  my  leg.1 

"  •  A'right,'  ses  the  wild  man,  shifting  along  the 
'earthrug  to  where  Peter  was  sitting ;  '  but  it 
don't  do  for  me  to  be  too  tame.  You  'eard  wot 
she  said.' 

"'How  are  you  feeling,  old  man?'  ses  Peter, 
in  a  kind  voice,  as  'e  tucked  'is  legs  away  under 
'is  chair. 

" '  Gurr,'  ses  the  wild  man,  going  on  all  fours  to 
the  back  of  the  chair,  '  gur — wug — wug ' 

"  '  Don't  play  the  fool,  Beauty,'  ses  Peter,  with 
a  uneasy  smile,  as  he  twisted  'is  'ead  round.  '  Call 
'im  off,  Sam.' 

"  '  Gurr,'  ses  the  wild  man,  sniffing  at  'is  legs  ; 
'  gurr.' 

"  '  Easy  on,  Beauty,  it 's  no  good  biting  'im  till 
they  come  back,'  ses  old  Sam. 

"  '  I  won't  be  bit  at  all,'  ses  Russet,  very  sharp, 
1  mind  that,  Sam.  It's  my  belief  Beauty's  gone 
mad.' 

" '  Hush,'  ses  Ginger,  and  they  'eard  Ted 
Reddish  and  'is  wife  coming  back.  They  came 
in   and    sat   down    agin,   and  after  Ted  'ad  'ad 


AN    ODD    FREAK  13 

another  good  look  at  the  wild  man  and  prodded 
'im  all  over  an'  looked  at  'is  teeth,  he  spoke  up 
and  said  they'd  decided  to  give  a  'undered  pun 
for  'im  at  the  end  o'  three  days  if  'e  suited. 

" '  I  s'pose,'  ses  Sam,  looking  at  the  others, 
•  that  we  could  'ave  a  bit  of  it  now  to  go  on  with  ?' 

"  -  It 's  agin  our  way  of  doing  business,'  ses  Ted 
Reddish.  '  If  it  'ud  been  a  lion  or  a  tiger  we 
could,  but  wild  men  we  never  do.' 

"  •  The  thing  is,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish,  as  the  wild 
man  started  on  Russet's  leg  and  was  pulled  off 
by  Sam  and  Ginger,  (  where  to  put  'im.' 

«  '  Why  not  put  'im  in  with  the  black  leopard  ?' 
ses  her  'usband. 

" '  There 's  plenty  o'  room  in  his  cage,'  says  'is 
wife,  thoughtfully,  '  and  it  'ud  be  company  for  'im 
too.' 

"  *  I  don't  think  the  wild  man  'ud  like  that,'  ses 
Ginger. 

" '  I  'm  sartain  sure  'e  wouldn't,'  says  old  Sam, 
shaking  'is  'ead. 

" '  Well,  we  must  put  'im  in  a  cage  by  hisself, 
I  s'pose,'  ses  Reddish,  '  but  we  can't  be  put  to 
much  expense.  I  'm  sure  the  money  we  spent 
in  cat's  meat  for  the  last  wild  man  we  'ad  was 
awful.' 

" '  Don't  you  spend  too  much  money  on  cat's 
meat  for  'im,'  ses  Sam,  '  'c  'd  very  likely  leave  it 


*4  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Bringing  'im  'ome,  we  used  to  give  'ira  the  same 
as  we  'ad  ourselves,  and  he  got  on  all  right.' 

" '  It 's  a  wonder  you  didn't  kill  'im,'  ses  Reddish, 
severely.  '  He  '11  be  fed  very  different  'ere,  I  can  tell 
you.    You  won't  know  'im  at  the  end  o'  three  days.' 

" '  Don't  change  'im  too  sudden,'  ses  Ginger, 
keeping  'is  'ead  turned  away  from  the  wild  man, 
wot  wos  trying  to  catch  'is  eye.  '  Cook  'is  food 
at  fust,  'cos  'e  's  been  used  to  it.' 

"  •  I  know  wot  to  give  'im,'  ses  Reddish,  off- 
handedly. '  I  ain't  been  in  the  line  twenty-seven 
years  for  nothink.  Bring  'im  out  to  the  back,  an' 
I'll  put  'im  in  'is  new  'ome.' 

"  They  all  got  up  and,  taking  no  notice  of  the 
wild  man's  whispers,  follered  Ted  Reddish  and  'is 
wife  out  to  the  back,  where  all  the  wild  beasts  in 
the  world  seemed  to  'ave  collected  to  roar  out  to 
each  other  what  a  beastly  place  it  was. 

" '  I  'm  going  to  put  'im  in  "  'Appy  Cottage  "  for 
a  time,'  says  Reddish  ;  '  lend  a  hand  'ere,  William,' 
he  says,  beckoning  to  one  of  'is  men. 

"Ms  that  u'Appy  Cottage"?'  ses  old  Sam, 
sniffing,  as  they  got  up  to  a  nasty,  empty  cage 
with  a  chain  and  staple  in  the  wall. 

"  Ted  Reddish  said  it  was. 

" '  Wot  makes  you  call  it  that  ? '  ses  Sam. 

"  Reddish  didn't  seem  to  'ear  'im,  and  it  took 
all  Ginger's  coaxing  to  get  Beauty  to  go  in. 


AN    ODD    FREAK  15 

" '  It's  on'y  for  a  day  or  two,'  he  whispers. 

" '  But  'ow  am  I  to  escape  when  you  've  got  the 
brass?'  ses  the  wild  man. 

"'  We'll  look  arter  that,'  ses  Ginger,  who  'adn't 
got  the  least  idea. 

"  The  wild  man  'ad  a  little  show  for  the  last 
time,  jist  to  impress  Ted  Reddish,  an'  it  was 
pretty  to  see  the  way  William  'andled  'im.  The 
look  on  the  wild  man's  face  showed  as  'ow  it  was 
a  revelashun  to  Hm,  Then  'is  three  mates  took 
a  last  look  at  'im  and  went  off. 

"  For  the  fust  day  Sam  felt  uneasy  about  'im, 
and  used  to  tell  us  tales  about  'is  dead  brother 
which  made  us  think  Beauty  was  lucky  to  take 
arter  'is  mother;  but  it  wore  off,  and  the  next 
night,  in  the  '  Admiral  Cochrane,'  'e  put  'is  'ead 
on  Ginger's  shoulder,  and  wep'  for  'appiness  as  'e 
spoke  of  'is  nevy's  home  at  ' '  Appy  Cottage.' 

"  On  the  third  day  Sam  was  for  going  round 
in  the  morning  for  the  money,  but  Ginger  said  it 
wasn't  advisable  to  show  any  'aste ;  so  they  left 
it  to  the  evening,  and  Peter  Russet  wrote  Sam  a 
letter  signed  '  Barnum,'  offering  'im  two  'undered 
for  the  wild  man,  in  case  Ted  Reddish  should 
want  to  beat  'em  down.  They  all  'ad  a  drink 
before  they  went  in,  and  was  smiling  with  good 
temper  to  sich  an  extent  that  they  'ad  to  wait  a 
minute  to  get  their  faces  straight  afore  going  in. 


16  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  '  Come  in,'  ses  Reddish,  and  they  follered  'im 
into  the  parler,  where  Mrs.  Reddish  was  sitting 
in  a  armchair  shaking  'er  'ead  and  looking  at  the 
carpet  very  sorrowful. 

" '  I  was  afraid  you  'd  come,'  she  ses,  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  •  So  was  I,'  ses  Reddish. 

"'What  for?'  ses  old  Sam.  It  didn't  look 
much  like  money,  and  'e  felt  cross. 

" "  We  've  'ad  a  loss,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish.  She 
touched  'erself,  and  then  they  see  she  was  all  in 
black,  and  that  Ted  Reddish  was  wearing  a  black 
tie  and  a  bit  o'  crape  round  'is  arm. 

"  '  Sorry  to  'ear  it,  mum,'  ses  old  Sam. 

ut  It  was  very  sudden,  too,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish, 
wiping  'er  eyes. 

"'That's  better  than  laying  long,'  ses  Peter 
Russet,  comforting  like. 

"  Ginger  Dick  gives  a  cough.  '  Twenty-five 
pounds  was  wot  'e  'd  come  for  ;  not  to  'ear  this 
sort  o'  talk.' 

"'We've  been  in  the  wild-beast  line  seven-an'- 
twenty years,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish,  'and  it's  the  fust 
time  anythink  of  this  sort  'as  'appened.' 

"  '  'Ealthy  family,  I  s'pose,'  ses  Sam,  staring. 

" '  Tell  'im,  Ted,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish,  in  a  'usky 
whisper. 

"  '  No,  you/  ses  Ted. 


AN    ODD    FREAK  1/ 

1,1  It's  your  place,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish. 

"  '  A  woman  can  break  it  better,'  ses  'er  'usband. 

"  '  Tell  us  wot?'  ses  Ginger,  very  snappish. 

"  Ted  Reddish  cleared  'is  throat. 

"  '  It  wasn't  our  fault,'  he  ses,  slowly,  while  Mrs. 
Reddish  began  to  cry  agin  ;  '  gin'rally  speakin', 
animals  is  afraid  o'  wild  men,  and  night  before 
last,  as  the  wild  man  wot  you  left  on  approval 
didn't  seem  to  like  "  'Appy  Cottage,"  we  took  'im 
out  an'  put  'im  in  with  the  tiger.' 

•"Put  him  in  with  the  WOT?'  ses  the  un- 
fort'nit  man's  uncle,  jumping  off  'is  chair. 

"  '  The  tiger,'  ses  Reddish.  '  We  'eard  some- 
thing in  the  night,  but  we  thought  they  was  only 
'aving  a  little  bit  of  a  tiff,  like.  In  the  morning 
I  went  down  with  a  bit  o'  cold  meat  for  the  wild 
man,  and  I  thought  at  first  he'd  escaped;  but 
looking  a  little  bit  closer ' 

"  •  Don't,  Ted,'  ses  'is  wife.     '  I  can't  bear  it.' 

" '  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  the  tiger  'as 
eat  'im  ? '  screams  old  Sam. 

u<Most  of  'im,'  ses  Ted  Reddish;  'but  'e 
couldn't  ha'  been  much  of  a  wild  man  to  let  a 
tiger  get  the  better  of  'im.  I  must  say  I  was 
surprised.' 

•• '  We  both  was,'  ses  Mrs.  Reddish,  wiping  'er 
eyes. 

"  You  might  ha'  'eard  a  pin  drop ;  old  Sam's 
B 


18  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

eyes  was  large  and  staring,  Peter  Russet  was 
sucking  'is  teeth,  an'  Ginger  was  wondering  wot 
the  law  would  say  to  it — if  it  'eard  of  it. 

"'It's  an  unfortunit  thing  for  all  parties,' ses 
Ted  Reddish,  at  last,  getting  up  and  standing  on 
the  'earthrug. 

"  "Orrible,'  ses  Sam,  'uskily.  'You  ought  to 
ha'  known  better  than  to  put  'im  in  with  a  tiger. 
Wot  could  you  expect?  W'y,  it  was  a  mad  thing 
to  do.' 

" '  Crool  thing,'  ses  Peter  Russet. 

" '  You  don't  know  the  bisness  properly,'  ses 
Ginger,  'that's  about  wot  it  is.  W'y,  /should 
ha'  known  better  than  that.' 

" '  Well,  it 's  no  good  making  a  fuss  about  it,'  ses 
Reddish.  '  It  was  only  a  wild  man  arter  all,  and 
he'd  ha'  died  anyway,  cos  'e  wouldn't  eat  the 
raw  meat  we  gave  'im,  and  'is  pan  o'  water  was 
scarcely  touched.  He'd  ha' starved  himself  any- 
how. I  'm  sorry,  as  I  said  before,  but  I  must  be 
off;  I  've  got  an  appointment  down  at  the  docks.' 

"He  moved  towards  the  door;  Ginger  Dick 
gave  Russet  a  nudge  and  whispered  something, 
and  Russet  passed  it  on  to  Sam. 

" '  What  about  the  'undered  quid  ? '  ses  pore 
Beauty's  uncle,  catching  'old  o'  Reddish  as  'e 
passed  'im. 

" *  Eh  ?  '  ses  Reddish, surprised— '  Oh,  that 's  off.' 


AN    ODD    FREAK  19 

M  '  Ho ! '  says  Sam.  '  Ho  !  is  it  ?  We  want  a 
'undered  quid  off  of  you;  an'  wot's  more,  we 
mean  to  'ave  it.' 

"'But  the  tiger's  ate  'im/  says  Mrs.  Reddish, 
explaining. 

"  '  I  know  that,'  ses  Sam,  sharply.  '  But  'e  was 
our  wild  man,  and  we  want  to  be  paid  for  'im. 
You  should  ha'  been  more  careful.  We'll  give 
you  five  minutes;  and  if  the  money  ain't  paid 
by  that  time,  we  '11  go  straight  off  to  the  police- 
station.' 

" «  Well,  go,'  ses  Ted  Reddish. 

"  Sam  got  up,  very  stern,  and  looked  at  Ginger. 

"  '  You  '11  be  ruined  if  we  do,'  ses  Ginger. 

"  '  All  right,'  ses  Ted  Reddish,  comfortably. 

"  '  I  'm  not  sure  they  can't  'ang  you,'  ses  Russet. 

"'  I  ain't  sure  either,'  says  Reddish;  'and  I  "d 
like  to  know  'ow  the  law  stands,  in  case  it  'appens 
agin.' 

"'Come  on,  Sam,' ses  Ginger;  'come  straight 
to  the  police-station.' 

"  He  got  up,  and  moved  towards  the  door. 
Ted  Reddish  didn't  move  a  muscle,  but  Mrs. 
Reddish  flopped  on  her  knees  and  caught  old 
Sam  round  the  legs,  and  'eld  him  so's  'e  couldn't 
move. 

" '  Spare  'im,'  she  ses,  crying. 

" '  Lea'  go  o;  my  legs,  mum,'  ses  Sam. 


20  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  Come  on,  Sam,'  ses  Ginger ;  '  come  to  the 
police.' 

"  Old  Sam  made  a  desperit  effort,  and  Mrs. 
Reddish  called  'im  a  crool  monster,  and  let  go 
and  'id  'er  face  on  'er  husband's  shoulder  as  they 
all  moved  out  of  the  parlour,  larfing  like  a  mad 
thing  with  hysterics. 

"  They  moved  off  slowly,  not  knowing  wot  to 
do,  as,  of  course,  they  knew  they  daren't  go  to 
the  police  about  it.  Ginger  Dick's  temper  was 
awful ;  but  Peter  Russet  said  they  mustn't  give 
up  all  'ope — he'd  write  to  Ted  Reddish  and  tell 
'im  as  a  friend  wot  a  danger  'e  was  in.  Old  Sam 
didn't  say  anything,  the  loss  of  his  nevy  and 
twenty-five  pounds  at  the  same  time  being 
almost  more  than  'is  'art  could  bear,  and  in  a 
slow,  melancholy  fashion  they  walked  back  to 
old  Sam's  lodgings. 

"  '  Well,  what  the  blazes  is  up  now?'  ses  Ginger 
Dick,  as  they  turned  the  corner. 

"  There  was  three  or  four  'undered  people 
standing  in  front  of  the  'ouse,  and  women's  'eads 
out  of  all  the  winders  screaming  their  'ardest 
for  the  police,  and  as  they  got  closer  they  'eard 
a  incessant  knocking.  It  took  'em  nearly  five 
minutes  to  force  their  way  through  the  crowd, 
and  then  they  nearly  went  crazy  as  they  saw  the 
wild  man  with  'alf  the  winder-blind  missing,  but 


AN    ODD    FREAK  21 

otherwise  well  and  'arty,  standing  on  the  step 
and  giving  rat-a-tat-tats  at  the  door  for  all  'e 
was  worth. 

"  They  never  got  to  know  the  rights  of  it. 
Beauty  getting  so  excited  every  time  they  asked 
'im  'ow  he  got  on  that  they  'ad  to  give  it  np 
But  they  began  to  'ave  a  sort  of  idea  at  last 
that  Ted  Reddish  'ad  been  'aving  a  game  with 
'em,  and  that  Mrs.  Reddish  was  worse  than  wot 
'e  was." 


A  QUESTION  OF  HABIT 

"  T  T  riMMIN  aboard  ship  I  don't  'old  with," 
*  V  said  the  night-watchman,  severely. 
"They'll  arsk  you  all  sorts  o'  silly  questions, 
an'  complain  to  the  skipper  if  you  don't  treat 
'em  civil  in  answering  'em.  If  you  do  treat  'em 
civil,  what's  the  result?  Is  it  a  bit  o'  bacca,  or 
a  shilling,  or  anything  like  that  ?  Not  a  bit  of 
it ;  just  a  '  thank  you,'  an'  said  in  a  way  as 
though  they  've  been  giving  you  a  perfect  treat 
by  talking  to  you. 

"  They  're  a  contrary  sects  too.  Ask  a  girl  civil- 
like  to  stand  off  a  line  you  want  to  coil  up,  and 
she  '11  get  off  an'  look  at  you  as  though  you  ought 
to  have  waited  until  she  'ad  offered  to  shift.  Pull 
on  it  without  asking  her  to  step  off  fust,  an*  the 
ship  won't  'old  her  'ardly.  A  man  I  knew  once — 
he's  dead  now,  poor  chap,  and  left  three  widders 
mourning  their  unrepairable  loss — said  that  with 
all  'is  experience  wimmin  was  as  much  a  riddle  to 
'im  as  when  he  fust  married. 

"O1  course,  sometimes  you  get  a  gal  down  the 
n 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT      23 

fo'c's'le  pretending  to  be  a  man,  shipping  as 
ordinary  seaman  or  boy,  and  nobody  not  a  penny 
the  wiser.  It 's  happened  before,  an'  I  've  no  doubt 
it  will  again. 

"  We  'ad  a  queer  case  once  on  a  barque  I  was  on 
as  steward,  called  the  Tower  of  London,  bound 
from  the  Albert  Docks  to  Melbourne  with  a 
general  cargo.  We  shipped  a  new  boy  just  after 
we  started  as  was  entered  in  the  ship's  books  as 
'Enery  Mallow,  an'  the  fust  thing  we  noticed 
about  'Enery  was  as  'e  had  a  great  dislike  to 
work  and  was  terrible  sea-sick.  Every  time 
there  was  a  job  as  wanted  to  be  done,  that  lad 
'ud  go  and  be  took  bad  quite  independent  of 
the  weather. 

"Then  Bill  Dowsett  adopted  'im.and  said  he'd 
make  a  sailor  of  'im.  I  believe  if 'Enery  could 
'ave  chose  'is  father,  he'd  sooner  'ad  any  man 
than  Bill,  and  I  would  sooner  have  been  a  orphan 
than  a  son  to  any  of  'em.  Bill  relied  on  his 
langwidge  mostly,  but  when  that  failed  he  'd  just 
fetch  'im  a  cuff.  Nothing  more  than  was  good 
for  a  boy  wot  'ad  got  'is  living  to  earn,  but  'Enery 
used  to  cry  until  we  was  all  ashamed  of  'im. 

"  Bill  got  almost  to  be  afraid  of  'itting  'im  at 
last,  and  used  to  try  wot  being  sarcastic  would 
do.  Then  we  found  as  'Enery  was  ten  times  as 
sarcastic  as  Bill — 'e'd  talk  all  round  'im  so   to 


24  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

speak,  an'  even  take  the  words  out  of  Bill's 
mouth  to  use  agin  'im.  Then  Bill  would  turn  to 
'is  great  natural  gifts,  and  the  end  of  it  was  when 
we  was  about  a  fortnight  out  that  the  boy  ran 
up  on  deck  and  went  aft  to  the  skipper  and 
complained  of  Bill's  langwidge. 

"  '  Langwidge,'  ses  the  old  man,  glaring  at  'im 
as  if  'e  'd  eat  'im — '  what  sort  o'  langwidge?' 

"  '  Bad  langwidge,  sir,'  ses  'Enery. 

"  '  Repeat  it,'  ses  the  skipper. 

"  'Enery  gives  a  little  shiver.  '  I  couldn't  do  it, 
sir,'  he  ses,  very  solemn  ;  *  it  *s  like — like  you  was 
talking  to  the  bo'sen  yesterday.' 

"  '  Go  to  your  duties,'  roars  the  skipper  ;  '  go  to 
your  duties  at  once,  and  don't  let  me  'ear  any 
more  of  it.  Why,  you  ought  to  be  at  a  young 
ladies'  school.' 

" '  I  know  I  ought,  sir,'  'Enery  ses,  with  a 
w'imper,  'but  I  never  thought  it 'd  be  like  this.' 

"  The  old  man  stares  at  him,  and  then  he  rubs 
his  eyes  and  stares  agin.  'Enery  wiped  his  eyes 
and  stood  looking  down  at  the  deck. 

"  '  'Eavens  above,'  ses  the  old  man,  in  a  dazed 
voice,  '  don't  tell  me  you  're  a  gal  ! ' 

'"  I  won't  if  you  don't  want  me  to,'  ses  'Enery, 
wiping  his  eyes  agin. 

"  '  What 's  your  name  ? '  ses  the  old  man,  at  last. 

'"  Mary  Mallow,  sir,'  ses  'En«rv,  very  soft. 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       25 

"'What  made  you  do  it?'  ses  the  skipper,  at 
last. 

" '  My  father  wanted  me  to  marry  a  man  I 
didn't  want  to,'  ses  Miss  Mallow.  '  He  used  to 
admire  my  hair  very  much,  so  I  cut  it  off.  Then 
I  got  frightened  at  what  I  'd  done,  and  as  I 
looked  like  a  boy  I  thought  I  'd  go  to  sea.' 

" '  Well,  it 's  a  nice  responsibility  for  me,'  ses 
the  skipper,  and  he  called  the  mate,  who  'ad  just 
come  on  deck,  and  asked  his  advice.  The  mate 
was  a  very  straitlaced  man — for  a  mate — and  at 
fust  he  was  so  shocked  'e  couldn't  speak. 

" '  She  '11  have  to  come  aft,'  he  ses,  at  last. 

" '  O'  course  she  will,'  ses  the  skipper,  and  he 
called  me  up  and  told  me  to  clear  a  spare  cabin 
out  for  her — we  carried  a  passenger  or  two  some- 
times— and  to  fetch  her  chest  up. 

"•  I  s'pose  you've  got  some  clothes  in  it?  '  he 
ses,  anxious-like. 

" •  Only  these  sort  o'  things/  ses  Miss  Mallow, 
bashfully. 

"  •  And  send  Dowsett  to  me,'  ses  the  skipper, 
turning  to  me  agin. 

"  We  'ad  to  shove  pore  Bill  up  on  deck  a'most, 
and  the  way  the  skipper  went  on  at  'im,  you  'd 
thought  'e  was  the  greatest  rascal  unhung.  He 
begged  the  young  lady's  pardon  over  and  over 
agin,  and  when  'e  come  back  to  us  'e  was  that 


16  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

upset  that  'e  didn't  know  what  'e  was  saying,  and 
begged  an  ordinary  seaman's  pardon  for  treading 
on  'is  toe. 

"  Then  the  skipper  took  Miss  Mallow  below  to 
her  new  quarters,  and  to  'is  great  surprise  caught 
the  third  officer,  who  was  fond  of  female  society, 
doing  a  step-dance  in  the  saloon  all  on  'is  own. 

"  That  evening  the  skipper  and  the  mate  formed 
themselves  into  a  committee  to  decide  what  was 
to  be  done.  Everything  the  mate  suggested  the 
skipper  wouldn't  have,  and  when  the  skipper 
thought  of  anythink,  the  mate  said  it  was  im- 
possible. After  the  committee  'ad  been  sitting 
for  three  hours  it  began  to  abuse  each  other ; 
leastaways,  the  skipper  abused  the  mate,  and  the 
mate  kep'  on  saying  if  it  wasn't  for  discipline  he 
knew  somebody  as  would  tell  the  skipper  a  thing 
or  two  it  would  do  'im  good  to  hear. 

" '  She  must  have  a  dress,  I  tell  you,  or  a  frock 
at  any  rate,'  ses  the  skipper,  very  mad. 

u*  What's  the  difference  between  a  dress  and  a 
frock  ? '  ses  the  mate. 

"'  There  is  a  difference,'  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  Well,  what  is  it  ?  '  ses  the  mate. 

" '  It  wouldn't  be  any  good  if  I  was  to  explair 
to  you,'  ses  the  skipper  ;  'some  people's  heads  are 
too  thick.' 

"'  I  know  they  are,'  ses  the  mate 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       27 

"  The  committee  broke  up  after  that,  but  it  got 
amiable  agin  over  breakfast  next  morning,  and 
made  quite  a  fuss  over  Miss  Mallow.  It  was 
wonderful  what  a  difference  a  night  aft  had  made 
in  that  gal.  She  'd  washed  herself  beautiful,  and 
had  just  frizzed  'er  'air,  which  was  rather  long, 
over  'er  forehead,  and  the  committee  kept 
pursing  its  lips  up  and  looking  at  each  other 
as  Mr.  Fisher  talked  to  'er  and  kep'  on  piling 
'er  plate  up. 

"  She  went  up  on  deck  after  breakfast  and  stood 
leaning  against  the  side  talking  to  Mr.  Fisher. 
Pretty  laugh  she'd  got,  too,  though  I  never 
noticed  it  when  she  was  in  the  fo'c's'le.  Per- 
haps she  hadn't  got  much  to  laugh  about  then  ; 
and  while  she  was  up  there  enjoying  'erself 
watching  us  chaps  work,  the  committee  was  down 
below  laying  its  'cads  together  agin. 

"When  I  went  down  to  the  cabin  agin  it  was 
like  a  dressmaker's  shop.  There  was  silk  hand- 
kerchiefs and  all  sorts  o'  things  on  the  table, 
an'  the  skipper  was  hovering  about  with  a  big 
pair  of  scissors  in  his  hands,  wondering  how  to 
begin. 

" '  I  shan't  attempt  anything  very  grand,'  he 
ses,  at  last ;  '  just  something  to  slip  over  them 
boy's  clothes  she's  wearing.' 

"  The  mate  didn't  say  anything.     He  was  busy 


28  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

drawing  frocks  on  a  little  piece  of  paper,  and 
looking  at  'em  with  his  'ead  on  one  side  to  see 
whether  they  looked  better  that  way. 

"'By  Jove!  I've  got  it,'  ses  the  old  man, 
suddenly.  *  Where 's  that  dressing-gown  your 
wife  gave  you  ? ' 

"  The  mate  looked  up.  '  I  don't  know,'  he  ses, 
slowly.     '  I  've  mislaid  it.' 

"'Well,  it  can't  be  far,'  ses  the  skipper.  'It's 
just  the  thing  to  make  a  frock  of.' 

°  '  I  don't  think  so,'  ses  the  mate.  '  It  wouldn't 
hang  properly.  Do  you  know  what  I  was  think- 
ing of?' 

"  '  Well,'  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  Three  o'  them  new  flannel  shirts  o'  yours,' 
ses  the  mate.  'They're  very  dark,  an'  they'd 
hang  beautiful.' 

"'Let's  try  the  dressing-gown  fust,'  ses  the 
skipper,  hearty-like.  '  That 's  easier.  I  '11  help 
you  look  for  it.' 

"'  I  can't  think  what  I  've  done  with  it,'  ses  the 
mate. 

"'  Well,  let's  try  your  cabin,'  ses  the  old  man. 

"  They  went  to  the  mate's  cabin  and,  to  his 
great  surprise,  there  it  was  hanging  just  behind 
the  door.  It  was  a  beautiful  dressing-gown — 
soft,  warm  cloth  trimmed  with  braid — and  the 
skipper   took    up   his    scissors   agin,    and    fairly 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       29 

gloated  over  it.  Then  he  slowly  cut  off  the  top 
part  with  the  two  arms  'anging  to  it,  and  passed 
it  over  to  the  mate. 

"'I  shan't  want  that,  Mr.  Jackson,'  he  ses, 
slowly.    '  I  dare  say  you  '11  find  it  come  in  useful.' 

"  •  While  you  're  doing  that,  s'pose  I  get  on  with 
them  three  shirts,'  ses  Mr.  Jackson. 

"  '  What  three  shirts  ? '  ses  the  skipper,  who  was 
busy  cutting  buttons  off. 

" '  Why,  yours,'  ses  Mr.  Jackson.  'Let's  see 
who  can  make  the  best  frock.' 

"  '  No,  Mr.  Jackson,'  ses  the  old  man.  '  I  'm 
sure  you  couldn't  make  anything  o'  them  shirts. 
You're  not  at  all  gifted  that  way.  Besides,  I 
want  'em.' 

"•Well,  I  wanted  my  dressing-gown,  if  you 
come  to  that,'  ses  the  mate,  in  a  sulky  voice. 

" '  Well,  what  on  earth  did  you  give  it  to  me 
for  ? '  ses  the  skipper.  '  I  do  wish  you  'd  know 
your  own  mind,  Mr.  Jackson.' 

"The  mate  didn't  say  any  more.  He  sat  and 
watched  the  old  man,  as  he  threaded  his  needle 
and  stitched  the  dressing-gown  together  down 
the  front.  It  really  didn't  look  half  bad  when 
he'd  finished  it,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  how 
pleased  Miss  Mallow  was.  She  really  looked 
quite  fine  in  it,  and  with  the  blue  guernsey  she 
was  wearing  and  a  band  made  o'  silk  handker- 


30  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

chiefs  round  her  waist,  I  saw  at  once  it  was  a 
case  with  the  third  officer. 

" '  Now  you  look  a  bit  more  like  the  gal  your 
father  used  to  know,'  ses  the  skipper.  '  My 
finger's  a  bit  sore  just  at  present,  but  by  and  by 
1  '11  make  you  a  bonnet.' 

" '  I  'd  like  to  see  it,'  ses  the  mate. 

"  ( It's  quite  easy,'  ses  the  skipper.  '  I  've  seen 
my  wife  do  'em.  She  calls  'em  tokes.  You 
make  the  hull  out  o'  cardboard  and  spread  your 
canvas  on  that.' 

"That  dress  made  a  wonderful  difference  in  the 
gal.  Wonderful !  She  seemed  to  change  all  at 
once  and  become  the  lady  altogether.  She  just 
'ad  that  cabin  at  her  beck  and  call  ;  and  as  for 
me,  she  seemed  to  think  I  was  there  a  puppose 
to  wait  on  'er. 

"  I  must  say  she  'ad  a  good  time  of  it.  We  was 
having  splendid  weather,  and  there  wasn't  much 
work  for  anybody;  consequently,  when  she  wasn't 
receiving  good  advice  from  the  skipper  and  the 
mate,  she  was  receiving  attention  from  both  ths 
second  and  third  officers.  Mr.  Scott,  the  second, 
didn't  seem  to  take  much  notice  of  her  for  a  day 
or  two,  and  the  first  I  saw  of  his  being  in  love 
was  'is  being  very  rude  to  Mr.  Fisher  and  giving 
up  bad  langwidge,  so  sudden  it 's  a  wonder  it 
didn't  do  'im  a  injury. 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       31 

"I  think  the  gal  rather  enjoyed  their  attentions 
at  first,  but  arter  a  time  she  got  fairly  tired  of  it. 
She  never  'ad  no  rest,  pore  thing.  If  she  was  up 
on  deck  looking  over  the  side  the  third  officer 
would  come  up  and  talk  romantic  to  'er  about 
the  sea  and  the  lonely  lives  of  sailor-men,  and  I 
acturally  'eard  Mr.  Scott  repeating  poetry  to  her. 
The  skipper  'eard  it  too,  and  being  suspicious  o' 
poetry,  and  not  having  heard  clearly,  called  him 
up  to  'im  and  made  'im  say  it  all  over  agin  to  'im. 
'E  didn't  seem  quite  to  know  wot  to  make  of  it, 
so  'e  calls  up  the  mate  for  'im  to  hear  it.  The 
mate  said  it  was  rubbish,  and  the  skipper  told 
Mr.  Scott  that  if  ever  he  was  taken  that  way 
agin  'e  'd  'ear  more  of  it. 

"There  was  no  doubt  about  them  two  young 
fellers  being  genuine.  She  'appened  to  say  one 
day  that  she  could  never,  never  care  for  a  man 
who  drank  and  smoked,  and  I  'm  blest  if  both 
of  'em  didn't  give  'er  their  pipes  to  chuck  over- 
board, and  the  agony  those  two  chaps  used  to 
suffer  when  they  saw  other  people  smoking  was 
pitiful  to  witness. 

"It  got  to  such  a  pitch  at  last  that  the  mate, 
who,  as  I  said  afore,  was  a  very  particular  man, 
called  another  committee  meeting.  It  was  a  very 
solemn  affair,  and  'e  made  a  long  speech  in  which 
he  said  he  was  the  father  of  a  family,  and  that  the 


32  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

second  and  third  officers  was  far  too  attentive  to 
Miss  Mallow,  and  'e  asked  the  skipper  to  stop  it 

"  '  How  ? '  ses  the  skipper. 

'"Stop  the  draught-playing  and  the  card- 
playing  and  the  poetry,'  ses  the  mate  ;  '  the  gal 's 
getting  too  much  attention ;  she  '11  have  'er  'ead 
turned.     Put  your  foot  down,  sir,  and  stop  it.' 

"  The  skipper  was  so  struck  by  what  he  said, 
that  he  not  only  did  that,  but  he  went  and  forbid 
them  two  young  men  to  speak  to  the  gal  except 
at  meal  times,  or  when  the  conversation  was 
general.  None  of  'em  liked  it,  though  the  gal 
pretended  to,  and  for  the  matter  of  a  week 
things  was  very  quiet  in  the  cabin,  not  to  say 
sulky. 

"Things  got  back  to  their  old  style  agin  in  a 
very  curious  way.  I'd  just  set  the  tea  in  the 
cabin  one  afternoon,  and  'ad  stopped  at  the  foot 
of  the  companion-ladder  to  let  the  skipper  and 
Mr.  Fisher  come  down,  when  we  suddenly  'eard 
a  loud  box  on  the  ear.  We  all  rushed  into  the 
cabin  at  once,  and  there  was  the  mate  looking 
fairly  thunderstruck,  with  his  hand  to  his  face, 
and  Miss  Mallow  glaring  at  'im. 

'"Mr.  Jackson,'  ses  the  skipper,  in  a  awful 
voice,  'what's  this  ? ' 

'"Ask  her,'  shouts  the  mate.  'I  think  she's 
gone  mad  or  something.' 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT      33 

"'What  does  this  mean,  Miss  Mallow?'  ses  the 
skipper. 

" '  Ask  him/  ses  Miss  Mallow,  breathing  very 
'ard. 

"'Mr.  Jackson,'  ses  the  skipper,  very  severe, 
'what  have  you  been  doing?' 

"  '  Nothing,'  roars  the  mate. 

" '  Was  that  a  box  on  the  ear  I  'eard  ? '  ses  the 
skipper. 

"'  It  was,'  ses  the  mate,  grinding  his  teeth. 

"'Your  ear?'  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  Yes.  She 's  mad,  I  tell  you,'  ses  the  mate.  '  I 
was  sitting  here  quite  quiet  and  peaceable,  when 
she  came  alongside  me  and  slapped  my  face.' 

'"Why  did  you  box  his  ear?'  ses  the  skipper 
to  the  girl  again. 

" '  Because  he  deserved  it,'  ses  Miss  Mallow. 

"The  skipper  shook  his  'ead  and  looked  at  the 
mate  so  sorrowful  that  he  began  to  stamp  up  and 
down  the  cabin  and  bang  the  table  with  his  fist, 

"'If  I  hadn't  heard  it  myself,  I  couldn't  have 
believed  it,'  ses  the  skipper ;  '  and  you  the  father 
of  a  family,  too.  Nice  example  for  the  young 
men,  I  must  say.' 

" '  Please  don't  say  anything  more  about  it,'  ses 
Miss  Mallow  ;  '  I  'm  sure  he's  very  sorry.' 

" '  Very  good,'  ses  the  skipper ;  '  but  you  under- 
stand, Mr.  Jackson,  that  if  I  overlook  your 
c 


34  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

conduct,  you  're  not  to  speak  to  this  young 
lady  agin.  Also,  you  must  consider  yourself 
as  removed  from  the  committee.' 

'"Curse  the  committee,'  screamed  the  mate. 
'  Curse ' 

"  He  looked  all  round,  with  his  eyes  starting 
out  of 'is  'ead,  and  then  suddenly  shut  his  mouth 
with  a  snap  and  went  up  on  deck.  He  never 
allooded  to  the  affair  again,  and  in  fact  for  the 
rest  of  the  voyage  'e  hardly  spoke  to  a  soul. 
The  young  people  got  their  cards  and  draughts 
agin,  but  he  took  no  notice,  and  'e  never  spoke 
to  the  skipper  unless  he  spoke  to  'im  fust. 

"  We  got  to  Melbourne  at  last,  and  the  fust 
thing  the  skipper  did  was  to  give  our  young 
lady  some  money  to  go  ashore  and  buy  clothes 
with.  He  did  it  in  a  very  delikit  way  by  giving 
her  the  pay  as  boy,  and  I  don't  think  I  ever  see 
anybody  look  so  pleased  and  surprised  as  she 
did.  The  skipper  went  ashore  with  her,  as  she 
looked  rather  a  odd  figure  to  be  going  about  alone, 
and  comes  back  about  a  hour  later  without  'er. 

" '  I  thought  perhaps  she  'd  have  come  aboard,' 
he  ses  to  Mr.  Fisher.  '  I  managed  to  miss  her 
somehow  while  I  was  waiting  outside  a  shop.' 

"They  fidgeted  about  a  bit,  and  then  went 
ashore  to  look  for  'er,  turning  up  again  at  eight 
o'clock  quite  worried.     Nine   o'clock  came,  and 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       35 

there  was  no  signs  of  'er.  Mr.  Fisher  and  Mr. 
Scott  was  in  a  dreadful  state,  and  the  skipper 
sent  almost  every  man  aboard  ashore  to  search 
for  'er.  They  'unted  for  'er  high  and  low,  up 
and  down  and  round  about,  and  turned  up  at 
midnight  so  done  up  that  they  could  'ardly 
stand  without  holding  on  to  somethink,  and  so 
upset  that  they  couldn't  speak.  None  of  the 
officers  got  any  sleep  that  night  except  Mr. 
Jackson,  and  the  fust  thing  in  the  morning  they 
was  ashore  agin  looking  for  her. 

"  She  'd  disappeared  as  completely  as  if  she  'd 
gone  overboard,  and  more  than  one  of  the  chaps 
looked  over  the  side  half  expecting  to  see  'er 
come  floating  by.  By  twelve  o'clock  most  of  us 
was  convinced  that  she  'd  been  made  away  with, 
and  Mr.  Fisher  made  some  remarks  about  the 
police  of  Melbourne  as  would  ha'  done  them 
good  to  hear. 

"  I  was  just  going  to  see  about  dinner  when  we 
got  the  first  news  of  her.  Three  of  the  most 
miserable  and  solemn-looking  captains  I  've  ever 
seen  came  alongside  and  asked  for  a  few  words 
with  our  skipper.  They  all  stood  in  a  row 
looking  as  if  they  was  going  to  cry. 

"'  Good  morning,  Captain  Hart,'  ses  one  of 'em, 
as  our  old  man  came  up  with  the  mate. 

"  *  Good  morning,'  ses  he. 


36  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  Do  you  know  this  ? '  ses  one  of  'em,  suddenly, 
holding  out  Miss  Mallow's  dressing-gown  on  a 
walking-stick. 

" '  Good  'eavens,'  ses  the  skipper,  '  I  hope 
nothing 's  happened  to  that  pore  gal.' 

"  The  three  captains  shook  their  heads  all 
together. 

" '  She  is  no  more,'  ses  another  of  'em. 

'"How  did  it  happen?'  ses  the  skipper,  in  a 
low  voice. 

'"She  took  this  off,'  ses  the  fust  captain, 
shaking  his  head  and  pointing  to  the  dressing- 
gown. 

"'And  took  a  chill?'  ses  the  skipper,  staring 
very  'ard. 

"The  three  captains  shook  their  'eads  agin,  and 
I  noticed  that  they  seemed  to  watch  each  other 
and  do  it  all  together. 

"'  I  don't  understand,'  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  I  was  afraid  you  wouldn't,'  ses  the  first 
captain  ;  '  she  took  this  off.' 

"  '  So  you  said  before,'  ses  the  skipper,  rather 
short. 

"   And    became    a    boy  agin,'   ses    the   other ; 
the   wickedest    and    most    artful     young    rascal 
that  ever  signed  on  with  me.' 

"  He  looked  round  at  the  others,  and  they  all 
broke  out  into  a  perfect  roar  of  laughter,  and 


A    QUESTION    OF    HABIT       37 

jumped  up  and  down  and  slapped  each  other 
on  the  back,  as  if  they  was  all  mad.  Then  they 
asked  which  was  the  one  wot  had  'is  ears  boxed, 
and  which  was  Mr.  Fisher  and  which  was  Mr. 
Scott,  and  told  our  skipper  what  a  nice  fatherly 
man  he  was,  Quite  a  crowd  got  round,  an' 
wouldn't  go  away  for  all  we  could  do  to  'em  in 
the  shape  o'  buckets  o'  water  and  lumps  o'  coal. 
We  was  the  laughing-stock  o'  the  place,  and  the 
way  they  carried  on  when  the  steamer  passed  us 
two  days  later  with  the  fust  captain  on  the 
bridge,  pretending  not  to  see  that  imp  of  a 
boy  standing  in  the  bows  blowing  us  kisses 
and  dropping  curtsies,  nearly  put  the  skipper 
out  of  'is  mind." 


HARD  LABOUR 

POLICE-CONSTABLE  C  49  paced  slowly 
up  Wapping  High  Street  in  the  cool  of  the 
evening.  The  warehouses  were  closed,  and  the 
street  almost  denuded  of  traffic.  He  addressed 
a  short  and  stern  warning  to  a  couple  of  youths 
struggling  on  the  narrow  pavement,  and  pointed 
out — with  the  toe  of  his  boot — the  undesirability 
of  the  curbstone  as  a  seat  to  a  small  maiden  of 
five.  With  his  white  gloves  in  his  hand  he  swung 
slowly  along,  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed. 

His  complacency  and  the  air  with  which  he 
stroked  his  red  moustache  and  side-whiskers 
were  insufferable.  Mr.  Charles  Pinner,  ship's 
fireman,  whose  bosom  friend  C  49  had  pinched — 
to  use  Mr.  Pinner's  own  expressive  phrase — a 
week  before  for  causing  a  crowd  to  collect, 
eyed  the  exhibition  with  sneering  wrath.  The 
injustice  of  locking  up  Mr.  Johnson,  because  a 
crowd  of  people  whom  he  didn't  know  from 
Adam  persisted  in  obstructing  the  pathway,  had 

reduced    Mr.  Pinner  to    the   verge   of  madness. 

M 


Ill     KEPT   BEHIND  C  49,   AND  CONTENTED    HIMSELF    WITH    INSULTING   KEMARKS 


HARD    LABOUR  39 

For  a  time  he  kept  behind  C  49,  and  contented 
himself  with  insulting  but  inaudible  remarks 
bearing  upon  the  colour  of  his  whiskers. 

The  constable  turned  up  a  little  alley-way 
between  two  small  pieces  of  waste  ground, 
concerning  the  desirability  and  value  of  which 
as  building  sites  a  notice-board  was  lurid  with 
adjectives.  Mr.  Pinner  was  still  behind ;  he  was 
a  man  who  believed  in  taking  what  life  could 
offer  him  at  the  moment,  and  something 
whispered  to  him  that  if  he  lived  a  hundred 
years  he  would  never  have  such  another  chance 
of  bonneting  that  red-whiskered  policeman. 
There  were  two  or  three  small  houses  at  the  end 
of  the  alley,  but  the  only  other  living  person  in 
it  was  a  boy  of  ten.  He  looked  to  be  the  sort 
of  boy  who  might  be  trusted  to  smile  approval 
on  Mr.  Pinner's  contemplated  performance. 

C  49's  first  thought  was  that  a  chimney  had 
fallen,  and  his  one  idea  was  to  catch  it  in  the 
act.  He  made  a  desperate  grab  even  before 
pushing  his  helmet  up,  and  caught  Mr.  Pinner 
by  the  arm. 

"  Leggo,"  said  that  gentleman,  struggling. 

"  Ho,"  said  C  49,  crimson  with  wrath,  as  he 
pushed  his  helmet  up.  "  Now  you  come  along 
o'  me,  my  lad." 

Mr.    Pinner,    regretting-   the  natural    impulse 


40  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

which  had  led  to  his  undoing,  wrenched  himself 
free  and  staggered  against  the  fence  which 
surrounded  the  waste  ground.  Then  he  ducked 
sideways,  and  as  C  49  renewed  his  invitation 
coupled  with  a  warning  concerning  the  futility 
of  resistance,  struck  him  full  and  square  on  the 
temple. 

The  constable  went  down  as  though  he  had 
been  shot.  His  helmet  rolled  off  as  he  fell,  and 
his  head  struck  the  pavement.  Mr.  Pinner,  his 
taste  for  bonneting  policemen  all  gone,  passed 
the  admiring  small  boy  at  the  double,  and  then, 
turning  the  corner  rapidly,  slackened  his  pace  to 
something  less  conspicuous. 

He  reached  his  home,  a  small  house  in  a 
narrow  turning  off  Cable  Street,  safely,  and, 
throwing  himself  into  a  chair,  breathed  heavily, 
while  his  wife,  whose  curiosity  at  seeing  him 
home  at  that  early  hour  would  not  be  denied, 
plied  him  with  questions. 

"Spend  a  'alf-hour  with  me?"  she  repeated,  in 
a  dazed  voice.     "  Ain't  you  well,  Charlie?" 

"Well?"  said  the  fireman,  frowning,  "o'  course 
I  'm  well.  But  it  struck  me  you  ought  to  see 
a  little  of  me  sometimes  when  I  'm  ashore." 

"  That 's  generally  what  I  do  see,"  said  Mrs. 
Pinner;  "it's  been  a  long  time  striking  you, 
Charlie." 


HARD    LABOUR  41 

M  Better  late  than  never,"  murmured  her  hus- 
band, absently,  as  he  listened  in  shuddering 
suspense  to  every  footfall  outside. 

"  Well,  I  'm  glad  you  've  turned  over  a  new  leaf," 
said  Mrs.  Pinner.  "  It  ain't  afore  it  was  time,  I  'm 
sure.     I  '11  go  up  and  fetch  the  baby  down." 

"  What  for  ?  "  demanded  her  husband,  shortly. 

"  So  as  it  can  see  a  little  of  you  too,"  said  his 
wife.  "  Up  to  the  present  it  calls  every  man  it 
sees  '  farver.'     It  ain't  its  fault,  pore  little  dear." 

Mr.  Pinner,  still  intent  on  footsteps,  grumbled 
something  beneath  his  breath,  and  the  baby 
being  awakened  out  of  its  first  sleep  and  brought 
downstairs,  they  contemplated  each  other  for 
some  time  with  offensive  curiosity. 

Until  next  morning  Mr.  Pinner's  odd  reasons 
for  his  presence  sufficed,  but  when  he  sat  still 
after  breakfast  and  showed  clearly  his  intention 
to  remain,  his  wife  insisted  upon  others  less 
insulting  to  her  intelligence.  Mr.  Pinner,  pre- 
facing his  remarks  with  an  allusion  to  a  life-long 
abhorrence  of  red  whiskers,  made  a  clean  breast 
of  it. 

"  It  served  him  right,"  said  his  wife,  judicially, 
'  but  it  '11  be  six  months  for  you  if  they  nab  you, 
Charlie.  You  '11  'ave  to  make  up  your  mind  to 
a  quiet  spell  indoors  with  me  and  baby  till  the 
ship  sails." 


42  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Pinner  looked  at  his  son  and  heir  dis- 
paragingly, and  emitted  a  groan. 

"  He  'ad  no  witnesses,"  he  remarked,  "  except 
a  boy,  that  is,  and  'e  didn't  look  the  sort  to  be 
fond  o'  policemen." 

"  You  can't  tell  by  looks,"  replied  his  wife,  in 
whose  brain  a  little  plan  to  turn  this  escapade 
to  good  account  was  slowly  maturing.  "You 
mustn't  get  nabbed  for  my  sake." 

"  I  won't  get  nabbed  for  my  own  sake," 
rejoined  Mr.  Pinner,  explicitly.  "  I  wonder 
whether  it 's  got  into  the  papers  ?  " 

"  Sure  to,"  said  his  wife,  shaking  her  head. 

"  Go  and  buy  one  and  see,"  said  the  fireman, 
glancing  at  the  baby.  "  I  '11  look  after  it,  but 
don't  be  long." 

His  wife  went  out  and  got  a  paper,  and  Mr. 
Pinner,  who  was  unable  to  read,  watched  her 
anxiously  as  she  looked  through  it.  It  was 
evident,  at  length,  that  his  prowess  of  the 
previous  evening  had  escaped  being  immor- 
talised in  print,  and  his  spirits  rose. 

"  I  don't  s'pose  he  was  much  'urt,"  he  said. 
"  I  dare  say  he  wouldn't  like  to  tell  'em  at  the 
station  he'd  been  knocked  down.  Some  of 'em 
don't.    I  '11  just  keep  my  eyes  open  when  1  'm  out." 

"  1  don't  think  you  ought  to  go  out,"  said  his 
wife 


HARD    LABOUR  43 

She  picked  up  the  paper  again,  and  regarded 
him  furtively.  Then  she  bent  over  it,  and  slowly 
scanned  the  pages,  until  a  sudden  horrified  gasp 
drove  the  roses  from  Mr.  Pinner's  cheek  and 
prepared  him  for  the  worst, 

"Wot  is  it?"  he  stammered. 

Mrs.  Pinner  folded  the  paper  back  and,  motion- 
ing him  to  silence,  read  as  follows : — 

"A  violent  assault  was  committed  last  night 
on  a  policeman  down  at  Wapping,  who  was 
knocked  down  by  a  seafaring  man  until  he  got 
concussion  of  the  brain.  The  injured  constable 
states  that  he  can  identify  the  man  what  attacked 
him,  and  has  given  a  full  description  of  him  at 
the  police-station,  where  search  is  now  being 
made  for  'im.  The  public-houses  are  being 
watched." 

"  Ho,  are  they?  "  commented  Mr.  Pinner,  much 
annoyed.     "  Ho,  indeed." 

"  That 's  all,"  said  his  wife,  putting  down  the 
paper. 

"  All  I  "  echoed  the  indignant  fireman.  "  'Ow 
much  more  do  you  want  ?  I'm  in  a  nice  'ole, 
I  don't  think.  Seems  to  me  I  might  as  well 
be  in  quod  as  'ere." 

"  You  don't  know  when  you  're  well  off,"  re- 
torted his  wife. 

Mr.  Pinner  sighed,  and  moved  aimlessly  about 


44  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

the  room ;  then  he  resumed  his  chair,  and, 
shaking  his  head  slowly,  lit  his  pipe. 

"  You  '11  be  quite  safe  indoors,"  said  his  wife, 
whose  plan  was  now  perfected.  "  The  only  thing 
is,  people  '11  wonder  what  you  're  dtaying  indoors 
all  day  for." 

Mr.  Pinner  took  his  pipe  out  of  his  mouth 
and  stared  at  her  blankly. 

"  Seems  to  me  you  want  a  reason  for  staying 
indoors,"  she  pursued. 

"  Well,I'vegot  one.ain't  I?"  said  the  injured  man. 

"Yes,  but  you  can't  tell  them  that,"  said  his 
wife.  "  You  want  a  reason  everybody  can  under- 
stand and  keep  'em  from  talking." 

M  Yes,  all  very  6ne  for  you  to  talk,"  said  Mr. 
Pinner  ;  "  if  you  could  think  of  a  reason  it  'ud 
be  more  sensible." 

Mrs.  Pinner,  who  had  got  several  ready, 
assumed  an  air  of  deep  thoughtfulness,  and 
softly  scratched  her  cheek  with  her  needle. 

"Whitewash  the  kitchen  ceiling,"  she  said, 
suddenly. 

'"Ow  long  would  that  take?'' demanded  her 
lord,  who  was  not  fond  of  whitewashing. 

"  Then  you  could  put  a  bit  of  paper  in  this 
room,"  continued  Mrs.  Pinner,  "and  put  them 
shelves  in  the  corner  what  you  said  you  'd  do. 
That  would  take  some  time." 


HARD    LABOUR  45 

"  It  would,"  agreed  Mr.  Pinner,  eyeing  her 
disagreeably. 

"  And  I  was  thinking,"  said  his  wife,  "  if  I  got 
a  sugar-box  from  the  grocer's  and  two  pairs  o' 
wheels  you  could  make  the  baby  a  nice  little 
perambulator." 

"Seems  to  me "  began  the  astonished  Mr. 

Pinner. 

"  While  you  're  doing  those  things  I  '11  try  and 
think  of  some  more,"  interrupted  his  wife. 

Mr.  Pinner  stared  at  her  for  some  time  in 
silence;  finally  he  said  "Thank'ee,"  in  a  voice 
slightly  tinged  with  emotion,  and  fell  into  a 
sullen  reverie. 

"  It's  the  safest  plan,"  urged  his  wife,  seriously  ; 
"there's  so  many  things  want  doing  that  it's 
the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world  for  you  to 
stay  indoors  doing  them.  Nobody '11  think  it 
strange." 

She  stitched  on  briskly  and  watched  her  hus- 
band from  the  corner  of  her  eye.  He  smoked 
on  for  some  time,  and  rising  at  last  with  a  sigh, 
sent  her  out  for  the  materials,  and  spent  the  day 
whitewashing. 

He  was  so  fatigued  with  the  unwonted  exer- 
tion that  he  was  almost  content  to  stay  in  that 
evening  and  smoke ;  but  the  following  morning 
was   so   bright   and    inviting   that    his    confine- 


46  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

ment  appeared  more  galling  than  ever.  Hoping 
for  some  miracle  that  should  rescue  him  from 
these  sordid  tasks,  he  sent  out  for  another 
paper. 

"  It  don't  say  much  about  it,"  said  his  wife. 

The  baby  was  crying,  the  breakfast  things 
were  not  washed,  and  there  were  several  other 
hindrances  to  journalistic  work. 

"  Read  it,"  said  the  fireman,  sternly. 

"The  injured  constable,"  read  Mrs.  Pinner, 
glibly,  "is  still  going  on  satisfactory,  and  the 
public-houses  are  still  being  watched." 

"They  do  seem  fond  o'  them  public-houses," 
remarked  Mr.  Pinner,  impatiently.  "  I  'm  glad 
the  chap's  getting  on  all  right,  but  I  'ope  'e 
won't  be  about  afore  I  get  to  sea  again." 

"I  shouldn't  think    he  would,"  said  his  wife. 
I  'd  better  go  out  and  get  the  wall-paper,  'adn't 
I  ?    What  colour  would  you  like  ? " 

Mr.  Pinner  said  that  aU  wall-papers  were  alike 
to  him,  and  indulged  in  dreary  speculations  as 
to  where  the  money  was  to  come  from.  Mrs. 
Pinner,  who  knew  that  they  were  saving  fast 
owing  to  his  enforced  seclusion,  smiled  at  his 
misgivings. 

He  papered  the  room  that  day,  after  a  few 
choice  observations  on  the  price  of  wall-paper, 
and  expressed  his  opinion    that    in    a  properly 


«  r  >, 


HARD    LABOUR  47 

governed  country  the  birth  of  red -whiskered 
policemen  would  be  rendered  an  impossibility. 
To  the  compliments  on  his  workmanship  be- 
stowed by  the  gratified  Mrs.  Pinner  he  turned 
a  deaf  ear. 

There  was  nothing  in  the  paper  next  morning, 
Mrs.  Pinner's  invention  being  somewhat  fatigued, 
but  she  promptly  quelled  her  husband's  joy 
by  suggesting  that  the  police  authorities  were 
lying  low  in  the  hope  of  lulling  him  into  a 
sense  of  false  security.  She  drew  such  an  amus- 
ing picture  of  the  police  searching  streets  and 
public-houses,  while  Mr.  Pinner  was  blithely 
making  a  perambulator  indoors,  that  she  was 
fain  to  wipe  the  tears  of  merriment  from  her 
eyes,  while  Mr.  Pinner  sat  regarding  her  in 
indignant  astonishment. 

It  was  no  source  of  gratification  to  Mr.  Pinner 
to  find  that  the  other  ladies  in  the  house  were 
holding  him  up  as  a  pattern  to  their  husbands, 
and  trying  to  incite  those  reluctant  gentlemen 
to  follow  in  his  footsteps.  Mrs.  Smith,  of  the 
first  floor,  praised  him  in  terms  which  made  him 
blush  with  shame,  and  Mrs.  Hawk,  of  the  second, 
was  so  complimentary  that  Mr.  Hawk,  who  had 
not  long  been  married,  came  downstairs  and 
gave  him  a  pressing  invitation  to  step  out  into 
the  back  yard. 


48  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

By  the  time  the  perambulator  was  finished 
his  patience  was  at  an  end,  and  he  determined 
at  all  hazards  to  regain  his  liberty.  Never  had 
the  street  as  surveyed  from  the  small  window 
appeared  so  inviting.  He  filled  his  pipe  and 
communicated  to  the  affrighted  Mrs.  Pinner  his 
intention  of  going  for  a  stroll. 

"  Wait  till  I  've  seen  the  paper,"  she  protested. 

"  Wot 's  the  good  of  seeing  the  paper  ? "  replied 
Mr.  Pinner.  "  We  know  as  'e  's  in  bed,  and  it 
seems  to  me  while  'e's  in  bed  is  my  time  to  be 
out.  I  shall  keep  a  look-out.  Besides,  I  've  just 
'ad  an  idea ;  I  'm  going  to  shave  my  moustache 
off.     I  ought  to  ha'  thought  of  it  before." 

He  went  upstairs,  leaving  his  wife  wringing 
her  hands  below.  So  far  from  the  red  policeman 
being  in  bed,  she  was  only  too  well  aware  that 
he  was  on  duty  in  the  district,  with  every  faculty 
strained  to  the  utmost  to  avenge  the  outrage  of 
which  he  had  been  the  victim.  It  became  neces- 
sary to  save  her  husband  at  all  costs,  and  while 
he  was  busy  upstairs  with  the  razor  she  slipped 
out  and  bought  a  paper. 

He  had  just  come  down  by  the  time  she 
returned,  and  turned  to  confront  her  with  a  con- 
scious grin  ;  but  at  the  sight  of  her  face  the 
smile  vanished  from  his  own,  and  he  stood 
waiting  nervously  for  ill  news. 


HARD    LABOUR  49 

"  Oh,  dear,"  moaned  his  wife. 

"What's  the  matter?"  said  Mr.  Pinner, 
anxiously. 

Mrs.  Pinner  supported  herself  by  the  table 
and  shook  her  head  despondently. 

"'Ave  they  found  me  out?"  demanded  Mr. 
Pinner. 

"  Worse  than  that,"  said  his  wife. 

"  Worse  than  that ! "  said  her  husband,  whose 
imagination  was  not  of  a  soaring  description. 
"  How  can  it  be  ? " 

"  He  's  dead,"  said  Mrs.  Pinner,  solemnly. 

"Dead/"  repeated  her  husband,  starting 
violently. 

Mrs.  Pinner,  with  a  little  sniff,  took  up  the 
paper  and  read  slowly,  interrupted  only  by  the 
broken  ejaculations  of  her  husband. 

"  The  unfortunate  policeman  who  was  assaulted 
the  other  day  down  at  Wapping  passed  away 
peacefully  yesterday  evening.  Lady  Verax  is 
prostrate  with  grief  and  refuses  to  leave  the 
death-chamber.  Several  members  of  the  Royal 
family  have  telegraphed  their " 

"  Wot?"  interrupted  the  astounded  listener. 

"  I  was  reading  the  wrong  bit,"  said  Mrs. 
Pinner,  who  was  too  engrossed  in  her  reading 
of  the  death  of  a  well-known  nobleman  to  re- 
member to  make  all  the  corrections  necessary 
D 


So  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

to  render  them  suitable  for  a  policeman.  Here 
it  is  : — 

"  The  unfortunate  policeman  who  was  assaulted 
the  other  day  down  at  Wapping  passed  away 
peacefully  yesterday  evening  in  the  arms  of  his 
wife  and  family.  The  ruffian  is  believed  to  be 
at  sea." 

"  I  wish  'e  was,"  said  Mr.  Pinner,  mournfully. 
"  I  wish  'e  was  anywhere  but  'ere.  The  idea  o' 
making  a  delikit  man  like  that  a  policeman. 
Why,  I  'ardly  touched  'im." 

"  Promise  me  you  won't  go  out,"  said  his  wife, 
tearfully. 

"Out?"  said  Mr.  Pinner,  energetically;  "out? 
D'  ye  think  I  'm  mad,  or  wot  ?  I  'm  going  to 
stay  'ere  till  the  ship  sails,  then  I  'm  going  down 
in  a  cab.  Wot  d'ye  think  I  want  to  go  out 
for?" 

He  sat  in  a  frightened  condition  in  the  darkest 
corner  of  the  room,  and  spoke  only  to  his  wife 
in  terms  of  great  bitterness  concerning  the 
extraordinary  brittleness  of  members  of  the 
police  force.  "  I  '11  never  touch  one  on  'em  agin 
as  long  as  I  live,"  he  protested.  "  If  you  brought 
one  to  me  asleep  on  a  chair  I  wouldn't  touch 
im. 

"It's  the  drink  as  made  you  do  it,"  said  his 
wife. 


HARD    LABOUR  51 

"  I  '11  never  touch  a  drop  agin,"  affirmed  Mr. 
Pinner,  shivering. 

His  pipe  had  lost  its  flavour,  and  he  sat  pon- 
dering in  silence  until  the  absolute  necessity  of 
finding  more  reasons  for  his  continued  presence 
in  the  house  occurred  to  him.  Mrs.  Pinner  agreed 
with  the  idea,  and  together  they  drew  up  a  list 
of  improvements  which  would  occupy  every 
minute  of  his  spare  time. 

He  worked  so  feverishly  that  he  became  a 
by-word  in  the  mouths  of  the  other  lodgers, 
and  the  only  moments  of  security  and  happi- 
ness he  knew  were  when  he  was  working  in  the 
bedroom  with  the  door  locked.  Mr.  Smith  attri- 
buted it  to  disease,  and  for  one  panic-stricken 
hour  discussed  with  Mr.  Hawk  the  possibility  of 
its  being  infectious. 

Slowly  the  days  passed  until  at  length  there 
were  only  two  left,  and  he  was  in  such  a  nervous 
and  overwrought  state  that  Mrs.  Pinner  was 
almost  as  anxious  as  he  was  for  the  day  of 
departure.  To  comfort  him  she  read  a  para- 
graph from  the  paper  to  the  effect  that  the 
police  had  given  up  the  search  in  despair.  Mr. 
Pinner  shook  his  head  at  this,  and  said  it  was 
a  trap  to  get  him  out.  He  also,  with  a  view  of 
defeating  the  ends  of  justice,  set  to  work  upon 
a  hood  for  the  perambulator. 


52  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

He  was  employed  on  this  when  his  wife  went 
out  to  do  a  little  shopping.  The  house  when 
she  returned  was  quiet,  and  there  were  no  signs 
of  anything  unusual  having  occurred;  but  when 
she  entered  the  room  she  started  back  with 
a  cry  at  the  sight  which  met  her  eyes.  Mr. 
Pinner  was  in  a  crouching  attitude  on  the  sofa, 
his  face  buried  in  the  cushion,  while  one  leg 
waved  spasmodically  in  the  air. 

"  Charlie,"  she  cried  ;  "  Charlie." 

There  was  a  hollow  groan  from  the  cushion  in 
reply. 

"What's  the  matter?"  she  cried,  in  alarm. 
"  What 's  the  matter  ? " 

"  I  've  seen  it,"  said  Mr.  Pinner,  in  trembling 
tones.  "  I  've  seen  a  ghost.  I  was  just  peeping 
out  of  the  winder  behind  the  blind  when  it 
went  by." 

"  Nonsense,"  said  his  wife. 

"His  ghost,"  said  Mr.  Pinner,  regaining  a  more 
natural  attitude  and  shivering  violently,  "red 
whiskers,  white  gloves  and  all.  It's  doing  a 
beat  up  and  down  this  street.  I  shall  go  mad. 
It's  been  by  twice." 

'"Magination,"  said  his  wife,  aghast  at  this 
state  of  affairs. 

"  I  'm  afraid  of  its  coming  for  me,"  said  Mr. 
Pinner,  staring  wildly.     "  Every  minnit  I  expect 


HARD    LAB  OUR  53 

to  see  ft  come  to  the  door  and  beckon  me  to 
foller  it  to  the  station.  Every  mlnnit  I  expect 
to  see  it  with  its  white  face  stock  up  agin  the 
winder-pane  staring  In  at  me." 

"You  mustn't  'ave  such  fancies,"  said  his 
wife. 

"  I  see  It  as  plain  as  I  see  you,"  persisted  the 
trembling  fireman,  "  It  was  prancing  up  and 
down  In  just  the  same  stuck-up  way  as  it  did 
when  it  was  alive." 

"  I  '11  draw  the  blind  down,"  said  his  wife. 

She  crossed  over  to  the  window,  and  was 
about  to  lower  the  blind  when  she  suddenly 
drew  back  with  an  involuntary  exclamation. 

"Can  you  see  it?"  cried  her  husband. 

"  No,"  said  Mrs.  Pinner,  recovering  herself. 
"  Shut  your  eyes." 

The  fireman  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  Keep  back," 
said  his  wife,  "  don't  look." 

"  I  must,"  said  her  husband. 

His  wife  threw  herself  upon  him,  but  he  pushed 
her  out  of  the  way  and  rushed  to  the  window. 
Then  his  jaw  dropped  and  he  murmured  inco- 
herently, for  the  ghost  of  the  red  policeman  was 
plainly  visible.  Its  lofty  carriage  of  the  head 
and  pendulum-like  swing  of  the  arms  were  gone, 
and  it  was  struggling  in  a  most  fleshly  manner 
to  lead  a  recalcitrant  costermonger  to  the  station. 


54  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

In  the  intervals  of  the  wrestling  bout  it  blew 
loudly  upon  a  whistle. 

"  Wonderful,"  said  Mrs.  Pinner,  nervously. 
"  Lifelike,  I  call  it." 

The  fireman  watched  the  crowd  pass  up  the 
road,  and  then  he  turned  and  regarded  her. 

"Would  you  like  to  hear  what  I  call  it?  "he 
thundered. 

"  Not  before  the  baby,  Charlie,"  quavered  Mrs. 
Pinner,  drawing  back. 

The  fireman  regarded  her  silently,  and  his 
demeanour  was  so  alarming  that  she  grabbed 
Charles  Augustus  Pinner  suddenly  from  his 
cradle  and  held  him  in  front  of  her. 

"  You  've  kep'  me  here,"  said  Mr.  Pinner,  in 
a  voice  which  trembled  with  self-pity,  "  for  near 
three  weeks.  For  three  weeks  I  've  wasted  my 
time,  my  little  spare  time,  and  my  money  in 
making  perambulators,  and  whitewashing  and 
papering,  and  all  sorts  of  things.  I  've  been 
the  larfing-stock  o'  this  house,  and  I  've  been 
worked  like  a  convict.  Wot  'ave  you  got  to 
say  for  yourself?" 

"  Wot  do  you  mean  ? "  inquired  Mrs.  Pinner, 
recovering  herself.  "  I  ain't  to  blame  for  what's 
in  the  paper,  am  I  ?  How  was  I  to  know  that 
the  policeman  as  died  wasn't  your  policeman  ? " 

Mr.  Pinner  eyed  her  closely,  but  she  met  his 


HARD    LABOUR  55 

gaze  with  eyes  honest  and  clear  as  those  of  a 
child.  Then,  realising  that  he  was  wasting 
precious  time,  he  picked  up  his  cap,  and  as  C  49 
turned  the  corner  with  his  prize,  set  off  in  the 
opposite  direction  to  spend  in  the  usual  manner 
the  brief  remnant  of  the  leave  which  remained 
to  him. 


A  GARDEN  PLOT 

THE  able-bodied  men  of  the  village  were  at 
work,  the  children  were  at  school  singing 
the  multiplication-table  lullaby,  while  the  wives 
and  mothers  at  home  nursed  the  baby  with  one 
hand  and  did  the  housework  with  the  other.  At 
the  end  of  the  village  an  old  man  past  work  sat 
at  a  rough  deal  table  under  the  creaking  sign- 
board of  the  "  Cauliflower,"  gratefully  drinking 
from  a  mug  of  ale  supplied  by  a  chance  traveller 
who  sat  opposite  him. 

The  shade  of  the  elms  was  pleasant  and  the  ale 
good.  The  traveller  filled  his  pipe  and,  glancing 
at  the  dusty  hedges  and  the  white  road  baking 
in  the  sun,  called  for  the  mugs  to  be  refilled,  and 
pushed  his  pouch  towards  his  companion.  After 
which  he  paid  a  compliment  to  the  appearance 
of  the  village. 

"  It  ain't  what  it  was  when  I  was  a  boy," 
quavered  the  old  man,  filling  his  pipe  with  trem- 
bling fingers.  "  I  mind  when  the  grindstone 
was  stuck  just  outside  the  winder   o'  the  forge 

(0 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  57 

instead  o'  being  one  side  as  it  now  is ;  and  as  for 
the  shop  winder — it 's  twice  the  size  it  was  when 
I  was  a  young  'un." 

He  lit  his  pipe  with  the  scientific  accuracy  of 
a  smoker  of  sixty  years'  standing,  and  shook  his 
head  solemnly  as  he  regarded  his  altered  birth- 
place. Then  his  colour  heightened  and  his  dim 
eye  flashed. 

"  It 's  the  people  about  'ere  'as  changed  more 
than  the  place  'as,"  he  said,  with  sudden  fierce- 
ness ;  "  there  's  a  set  o'  men  about  here  nowadays 
as  are  no  good  to  anybody ;  reg'lar  raskels.  And 
if  you  've  the  mind  to  listen  I  can  tell  you  of  one 
or  two  as  couldn't  be  beat  in  London  itself. 

11  There's  Tom  Adams  for  one.  He  went  and 
started  wot  'e  called  a  Benevolent  Club.  Three- 
pence a  week  each  we  paid  agin  sickness  or 
accident,  and  Tom  was  secretary.  Three  weeks 
arter  the  club  was  started  he  caught  a  chill  and 
was  laid  up  for  a  month.  He  got  back  to  work 
a  week,  and  then  'e  sprained  something  in  'is  leg  ; 
and  arter  that  was  well  'is  inside  went  wrong. 
We  didn't  think  much  of  it  at  first,  not  under- 
standing figures  ;  but  at  the  end  o'  six  months 
the  club  hadn't  got  a  farthing,  and  they  was  in 
Tom's  debt  one  pound  seventeen-and-six. 

"  He  isn't  the  only  one  o'  that  sort  in  the  place, 
either.      There   was    Herbert   Richardson.      He 


58  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

went  to  town,  and  came  back  with  the  idea  of 
a  Goose  Club  for  Christmas.  We  paid  twopence 
a  week  into  that  for  pretty  near  ten  months,  and 
then  Herbert  went  back  to  town  agin,  and  all  we 
'ear  of  'im,  through  his  sister,  is  that  he's  still 
there  and  doing  well,  and  don't  know  when  he'll 
be  back. 

"  But  the  artfullest  and  worst  man  in  this  place 
— and  that's  saying  a  good  deal,  mind  you — is 
Bob  Pretty.  Deep  is  no  word  for  'im.  There 's 
no  way  of  being  up  to  'im.  It 's  through  'im 
that  we  lost  our  Flower  Show  ;  and,  if  you  'd  like 
to  'ear  the  rights  o'  that,  I  don't  suppose  there's 
anybody  in  this  place  as  knows  as  much  about 
it  as  I  do — barring  Bob  hisself  that  is,  but  'e 
wouldn't  tell  it  to  you  as  plain  as  I  can. 

"  We  'd  only  'ad  the  Flower  Show  one  year, 
and  little  anybody  thought  that  the  next  one 
was  to  be  the  last.  The  first  year  you  might 
smell  the  place  a  mile  off  in  the  summer,  and  on 
the  day  of  the  show  people  came  from  a  long  way 
round,  and  brought  money  to  spend  at  the  'Cauli- 
flower' and  other  places. 

"  It  was  started  just  after  we  got  our  new 
parson,  and  Mrs.  Pawlett,  the  parson's  wife,  'is 
name  being  Pawlett,  thought  as  she'd  encourage 
men  to  love  their  'omes  and  be  better  'usbands 
by  giving  a  prize  every  year  for  the  best  cottage 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  59 

garden.  Three  pounds  was  the  prize,  and  a 
metal  teapot  with  writing  on  it. 

"As  I  said,  we  only 'ad  it  two  years.  The  fust 
year  the  garden  as  got  it  was  a  picter,  and  Bill 
Chambers,  'im  as  won  the  prize,  used  to  say  as 
'e  was  out  o'  pocket  by  it,  taking  'is  time  and  the 
money  'e  spent  on  flowers.  Not  as  we  believed 
that,  you  understand,  'specially  as  Bill  did  'is  very 
best  to  get  it  the  next  year,  too.  'E  didn't  get  it, 
and  though  p'r'aps  most  of  us  was  glad  'e  didn't, 
we  was  all  very  surprised  at  the  way  it  turned  out 
in  the  end. 

"The  Flower  Show  was  to  be  'eld  on  the  5th 
o'  July,  just  as  a'most  everything  about  here  was 
at  its  best.  On  the  15th  of  June  Bill  Chambers's 
garden  seemed  to  be  leading,  but  Peter  Smith 
and  Joe  Gubbins  and  Sam  Jones  and  Henery 
Walker  was  almost  as  good,  and  it  was  under- 
stood that  more  than  one  of  'em  had  got  a  surprise 
which  they'd  produce  at  the  last  moment, too  late 
for  the  others  to  copy.  We  used  to  sit  up  here 
of  an  evening  at  this  'Cauliflower'  public-house 
and  put  money  on  it.  I  put  mine  on  Henery 
Walker,  and  the  time  I  spent  in  'is  garden  'elping 
'im  is  a  sin  and  a  shame  to  think  of. 

"  Of  course  some  of  'em  used  to  make  fun  of  it, 
and  Bob  Pretty  was  the  worst  of  'em  all.  He 
was  always  a  lazy,  good-for-nothing  man,  and  'is 


60  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

garden  was  a  disgrace.  He'd  chuck  down  any 
rubbish  in  it :  old  bones,  old  tins,  bits  of  an  old 
bucket,  anything  to  make  it  untidy.  He  used  to 
larf  at  'em  awful  about  their  gardens  and  about 
being  took  up  by  the  parson's  wife.  Nobody 
ever  see  'im  do  any  work,  real  'ard  work,  but  the 
smell  from  'is  place  at  dinner-time  was  always 
nice,  and  I  believe  that  he  knew  more  about 
game  than  the  parson  hisself  did. 

"  It  was  the  day  arter  this  one  I  'm  speaking 
about,  the  16th  o'  June,  that  the  trouble  all  began, 
and  it  came  about  In  a  very  eggstrordinary  way. 
George  English,  a  quiet  man  getting  into  years, 
who  used  when  'e  was  younger  to  foller  the  sea, 
and  whose  only  misfortin  was  that  'e  was  a 
brother-in-law  o'  Bob  Pretty's,  his  sister  marrying 
Bob  while  'e  was  at  sea  and  knowing  nothing 
about  it,  'ad  a  letter  come  from  a  mate  of  his  who 
'ad  gone  to  Australia  to  live.  He'd  'ad  letters 
from  Australia  before,  as  we  all  knew  from  Miss 
Wicks  at  the  post-office,  but  this  one  upset  him 
altogether.  He  didn't  seem  like  to  know  what 
to  do  about  it. 

"While  he  was  wondering  Bill  Chambers  passed. 
He  always  did  pass  George's  'ouse  about  that 
time  in  the  evening,  it  being  on  'is  way  omc,  and 
he  saw  George  standing  at  'is  gate  with  a  letter 
in  'is  'and  looking  very  puzzled. 


■.,  ,  i     i.  mi    -   i  \\  ,.    I     .  IP1  SF  -    BILL 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  61 

"'Evenin',  George/  ses  Bill. 

"  •  EvcninV  ses  George. 

" '  Not  bad  news,  I  'ope  ? '  ses  Bill,  noticing  'is 
manner,  and  thinking  it  was  strange. 

" '  No,'  ses  George.  '  I  've  just  'ad  a  very  eggs- 
trordinary  letter  from  Australia,'  he  ses, '  that 's  all.' 

"  Bill  Chambers  was  always  a  very  inquisitive 
sort  o'  man,  and  he  stayed  and  talked  to  George 
until  George,  arter  fust  making  him  swear  oaths 
that  'e  wouldn't  tell  a  soul,  took  'im  inside  and 
showed  'im  the  letter. 

"  It  was  more  like  a  story-book  than  a  letter. 
George's  mate,  John  Biggs  by  name,  wrote  to  say 
that  an  uncle  of  his  who  had  just  died,  on  'is 
deathbed  told  him  that  thirty  years  ago  he  'ad 
been  in  this  very  village,  staying  at  this  'ere  very 
1  Cauliflower,'  whose  beer  we  're  drinking  now.  In 
the  night,  when  everybody  was  asleep,  he  got  up 
and  went  quiet-like  and  buried  a  bag  of  five 
hundred  and  seventeen  sovereigns  and  one  half- 
sovereign  in  one  of  the  cottage  gardens  till  'e 
could  come  for  it  agin.  He  didn't  say  'ow  he 
come  by  the  money,  and,  when  Bill  spoke  about 
that,  George  English  said  that,  knowing  the  man,' 
he  was  afraid  'e  'adn't  come  by  it  honest,  but  any- 
way his  friend  John  Biggs  wanted  it,  and,  wot 
was  more,  'ad  asked  'im  in  the  letter  to  get  it  for 
'im, 


62  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  And  wot  I  'm  to  do  about  it,  Bill/  he  ses,  '  I 
don't  know.  All  the  directions  he  gives  is,  that 
'e  thinks  it  was  the  tenth  cottage  on  the  right-'and 
side  of  the  road,  coming  down  from  the  "  Cauli- 
flower." He  thinks  it's  the  tenth,  but  'e's  not 
quite  sure.  Do  you  think  I  'd  better  make  it 
known  and  offer  a  reward  of  ten  shillings,  say, 
to  any  one  who  finds  it  ? ' 

'"No/  ses  Bill,  shaking  'is  'ead.  *  I  should 
hold  on  a  bit  if  I  was  you,  and  think  it  over. 
I  shouldn't  tell  another  single  soul,  if  I  was  you.' 

" '  I  b'lieve  you  're  right/  ses  George.  '  John 
Biggs  would  never  forgive  me  if  I  lost  that  money 
for  'im.  You  '11  remember  about  keeping  it  secret, 
Bill?' 

"Bill  swore  he  wouldn't  tell  a  soul,  and  'e  went 
off  'ome  and  'ad  his  supper,  and  then  'e  walked  up 
the  road  to  the  'Cauliflower'  and  back,  and  then 
up  and  back  again,  thinking  over  what  George 
'ad  been  telling  'im,  and  noticing,  what  'e 'd  never 
taken  the  trouble  to  notice  before,  that  'is  very 
house  was  the  tenth  one  from  the  '  Cauliflower.' 

"  Mrs.  Chambers  woke  up  at  two  o'clock  next 
morning  and  told  Bill  to  get  up  further,  and  then 
found  'e  wasn't  there.  She  was  rather  surprised 
at  first,  but  she  didn't  think  much  of  it,  and 
thought,  what  happened  to  be  true,  that  'e  was 
busy  in  the  garden,  it  being  a  light  night.     She 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  63 

turned  over  and  went  to  sleep  again,  and  at  five 
when  she  woke  up  she  could  distinctly  'ear  Bill 
working  'is  'ardest  Then  she  went  to  the  winder 
and  nearly  dropped  as  she  saw  Bill  in  his  shirt 
and  trousers  digging  away  like  mad.  A  quarter 
of  the  garden  was  all  dug  up,  and  she  shoved 
open  the  winder  and  screamed  out  to  know  what 
'e  was  doing. 

"  Bill  stood  up  straight  and  wiped  'is  face  with 
his  shirt-sleeve  and  started  digging  again,  and 
then  his  wife  just  put  something  on  and  rushed 
downstairs  as  fast  as  she  could  go. 

" '  What  on  earth  are  you  a-doing  of,  Bill  ? '  she 
screams. 

"'Go  indoors,'  ses  Bill,  still  digging. 

"  '  Have  you  gone  mad  ?  '  she  ses,  half  crying. 

"  Bill  just  stopped  to  throw  a  lump  of  mould  at 
her,  and  then  went  on  digging  till  Henery  Walker 
who  also  thought  'e  'ad  gone  mad,  and  didn't 
want  to  stop  'im  too  soon,  put  'is  'ead  over  the 
'edge  and  asked  'im  the  same  thing. 

"'  Ask  no  questions  and  you'll  'ear  no  lies,  and 
keep  your  ugly  face  your  own  side  of  the  'edge,' 
ses  Bill.  '  Take  it  indoors  and  frighten  the  chil- 
dren with,'  he  ses.     '  I  don't  want  it  staring  at  me.' 

"  Henery  walked  off  offended,  and  Bill  went  on 
with  his  digging.  He  wouldn't  go  to  work,  and 
'e  'ad  his  breakfast  in  the  garden,  and  his  wife 


64  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

spent  all  the  morning  in  the  front  answering  the 
neighbours'  questions  and  begging  of  'em  to  go  in 
and  say  something  to  Bill.  One  of  'em  did  go, 
and  came  back  a'most  directly  and  stood  there 
for  hours  telling  diffrent  people  wot  Bill  'ad  said 
to  'er,  and  asking  whether  'e  couldn't  be  locked 
up  for  it. 

"By  tea-time  Bill  was  dead-beat,  and  that  stiff 
he  could  'ardly  raise  'is  bread  and  butter  to  his 
mouth.  Several  o'  the  chaps  looked  in  in  the 
evening,  but  all  they  could  get  out  of  'im  was, 
that  it  was  a  new  way  o'  cultivating  'is  garden  'e 
'ad  just  'eard  of,  and  that  those  who  lived  the 
longest  would  see  the  most.  By  night-time  'e'd 
nearly  finished  the  job,  and  'is  garden  was  just 
ruined. 

"Afore  people  'ad  done  talking  about  Bill,  I'm 
blest  if  Peter  Smith  didn't  go  and  cultivate  'is 
garden  in  exactly  the  same  way.  The  parson 
and  'is  wife  was  away  on  their  'oliday,  and  nobody 
could  say  a  word.  The  curate  who  'ad  come  over 
to  take  'is  place  for  a  time,  and  who  took  the 
names  of  people  for  the  Flower  Show,  did  point 
out  to  'im  that  he  was  spoiling  'is  chances,  but 
Peter  was  so  rude  to  'im  that  he  didn't  stay  long 
enough  to  say  much. 

"  When  Joe  Gubbins  started  digging  up  'is 
garden    people    began   to   think    they   were   all 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  65 

bewitched,  and  I  went  round  to  see  Henery 
Walker  to  tell  'im  wot  a  fine  chance  'e  'd  got,  and 
to  remind  'im  that  I  'd  put  another  ninepence  on 
'im  the  night  before.  All  'e  said  was,  ■  More  fool 
you,'  and  went  on  digging  a  'ole  in  his  garden 
big  enough  to  put  a  'ouse  in. 

"In  a  fortnight's  time  there  wasn't  a  garden 
worth  looking  at  in  the  place,  and  it  was  quite 
clear  there 'd  be  no  Flower  Show  that  year,  and 
of  all  the  silly,  bad-tempered  men  in  the  place 
them  as  'ad  dug  up  their  pretty  gardens  was  the 
wust. 

"  It  was  just  a  few  days  before  the  day  fixed 
for  the  Flower  Show,  and  I  was  walking  up  the 
road  when  I  see  Joe  and  Henery  Walker  and  one 
or  two  more  leaning  over  Bob  Pretty's  fence  and 
talking  to  'im.  I  stopped,  too,  to  see  what  they 
were  looking  at,  and  found  they  was  watching 
Bob's  two  boys  a-weeding  of 'is  garden.  It  was 
a  disgraceful,  untidy  sort  of  place,  as  I  said 
before,  with  a  few  marigolds  and  nasturtiums, 
and  sich-like  put  in  anywhere,  and  Bob  was 
walking  up  and  down  smoking  of  'is  pipe  and 
watching  'is  wife  hoe  atween  the  plants  and  cut 
off  dead  marigold  blooms. 

'"That's  a  pretty  garden  you've  got  there, 
Bob,'  ses  Joe,  grinning. 

"  '  I  've  seen  wuss,'  ses  Bob. 
E 


66  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  Going  in  for  the  Flower  Show,  Bob  ? '  ses 
Henery,  with  a  wink  at  us. 

"'O'  course  I  am,'  ses  Bob,  'olding  'is  'ead  up; 
1  my  mangolds  ought  to  pull  me  through,'  he  ses. 

"  Henery  wouldn't  believe  it  at  fust,  but  when 
he  saw  Bob  show  'is  missus  'ow  to  pat  the  path 
down  with  the  back  o'  the  spade  and  hold  the 
nails  for  'er  while  she  nailed  a  climbing  nasturtium 
to  the  fence,  he  went  off  and  fetched  Bill  Cham- 
bers and  one  or  two  others,  and  they  all  leaned 
over  the  fence  breathing  their  'ardest  and  a- 
saying  of  all  the  nasty  things  to  Bob  they  could 
think  of. 

" '  It 's  the  best-kep'  garden  in  the  place,'  ses 
Bob.  '  I  ain't  afraid  o'  your  new  way  o'  cultivat- 
ing flowers,  Bill  Chambers.  Old-fashioned  ways 
suit  me  best ;  I  learnt  'ow  to  grow  flowers  from 
my  father.' 

" '  You  ain't  'ad  the  cheek  to  give  your  name 
in,  Bob?'  ses  Sam  Jones,  staring. 

"  Bob  didn't  answer  'im.  '  Pick  those  bits  o' 
grass  out  o'  the  path,  old  gal,'  he  ses  to  'is  wife  ; 
'they  look  untidy,  and  untidiness  I  can't  abear.' 

"  He  walked  up  and  down  smoking  'is  pipe  and 
pretending  not  to  notice  Henery  Walker,  wot  'ad 
moved  farther  along  the  fence,  and  was  staring 
at  some  drabble-tailed-looking  geraniums  as  if 
'e'd  seen  'em  afore  but  wasn't  quite  sure  where. 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  67 

" '  Admiring  my  geraniums,  Henery  ? '  ses  Bob, 
at  last. 

" '  Where  'd  you  get  'em  ? '  ses  Henery,  'ardly 
able  to  speak. 

" '  My  florist's,'  ses  Bob,  in  a  off-hand  manner. 

" '  Your  wot  ? '  asks  Henery. 

" ■  My  florist,'  ses  Bob. 

"  '  And  who  might  'e  be  when  'e  's  at  home  ? ' 
asked  Henery. 

"  '  'Tain't  so  likely  I  'm  going  to  tell  you  that,' 
ses  Bob.  '  Be  reasonable,  Henery,  and  ask 
yourself  whether  it's  likely  I  should  tell  you  'is 
name.  Why,  I  've  never  seen  sich  fine  geraniums 
afore.  I  've  been  nursing  'em  inside  all  the 
summer,  and  just  planted  'em  out.' 

"  '  About  two  days  arter  I  threw  mine  over  my 
back  fence,'  ses  Henery  Walker,  speaking  very 
slowly. 

"  '  Ho,'  ses  Bob,  surprised.  '  I  didn't  know 
you  'ad  any  geraniums,  Henery.  I  thought  you 
was  digging  for  gravel  this  year.' 

"  Henery  didn't  answer  'im.  Not  because  'e 
didn't  want  to,  mind  you,  but  because  he 
couldn't. 

" '  That  one,'  ses  Bob,  pointing  at  a  broken 
geranium  with  the  stem  of 'is  pipe, 'is  a"Dook 
o'  Wellington,"  and  that  white  one  there  is  wot 
I'm  going   to  call  "Pretty's  Pride."      That  fine 


68  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

marigold  over  there,  wot  looks  like  a  sunflower, 
is  called  "  Golden  Dreams." ' 

" '  Come  along,  Henery,'  ses  Bill  Chambers, 
bursting,  'come  and  get  something  to  take  the 
taste  out  of  your  mouth.' 

"  '  I  'm  sorry  I  can't  offer  you  a  flower  for  your 
button-'ole,'  ses  Bob,  perlitely,  'but  it's  getting 
so  near  the  Flower  Show  now  I  can't  afford  it. 
If  you  chaps  only  knew  wot  pleasure  was  to  be 
'ad  sitting  among  your  innercent  flowers,  you 
wouldn't  want  to  go  to  the  public-house  so  often.' 

"  He  shook  'is  'ead  at  'em,  and  telling  his  wife 
to  give  the  '  Dook  o'  Wellington '  a  mug  of 
water,  sat  down  in  the  chair  agin  and  wiped 
the  sweat  off  'is  brow. 

"Bill  Chambers  did  a  bit  o' thinking  as  they 
walked  up  the  road,  and  by  and  by  'e  turns  to 
Joe  Gubbins  and  'e  ses — 

" '  Seen  anything  o'  George  English  lately, 
Joe?' 

"  '  Yes*  ses  Joe. 

" '  Seems  to  me  we  all  'ave,'  ses  Sam  Jones. 

"  None  of  'em  liked  to  say  wot  was  in  their 
minds,  'aving  all  seen  George  English  and  swore 
pretty  strong  not  to  tell  his  secret,  and  none  of 
'em  liking  to  own  up  that  they'd  been  digging 
up  their  gardens  to  get  money  as  'e 'd  told  'em 
about.     But  presently  Bill  Chambers  ses — 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  69 

" '  Without  telling  no  secrets  or  breaking  no 
promises,  Joe,  supposing  a  certain  'ouse  was 
mentioned  in  a  certain  letter  from  forrin  parts, 
wot  'ouse  was  it  ? ' 

" '  Supposing  it  was  so,'  ses  Joe,  careful  too  ; 
5  the  second  'ouse  counting  from  the  "  Cauli- 
flower." ' 

" '  The  ninth  'ouse,  you  mean/  ses  Henery 
Walker,  sharply. 

" '  Second  'ouse  In  Mill  Lane,  you  mean,'  ses 
Sam  Jones,  wot  lived  there. 

"  Then  they  all  see  'ow  they  'd  been  done,  and 
that  they  wasn't,  in  a  manner  o'  speaking,  re- 
ferring to  the  same  letter.  They  came  up  and 
sat  'ere  where  we're  sitting  now,  all  dazed-like. 
It  wasn't  only  the  chance  o'  losing  the  prize  that 
upset  'em,  but  they'd  wasted  their  time  and 
ruined  their  gardens  and  got  called  mad  by  the 
other  folks.  Henery  Walker's  state  o'  mind  was 
dreadful  for  to  see,  and  he  kep'  thinking  of 
'orrible  things  to  say  to  George  English,  and 
then  being  afraid  they  wasn't  strong  enough. 

"While  they  was  talking  who  should  come 
along  but  George  English  hisself!  He  came 
right  up  to  the  table,  and  they  all  sat  back  on 
the  bench  and  stared  at  'im  fierce,  and  Henery 
Walker  crinkled  'is  nose  at  him. 

M  *  Evening,'  he  ses,  but  none  of  'em  answered 


70  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

'im  ;  they  all  looked  at  Henery  to  see  wot  'e  was 
going  to  say. 

"  '  Wot  'sup?'  ses  George,  in  surprise. 

"  '  Gardens y  ses  Henery. 

"  '  So  I  've  'eard,'  ses  George. 

"  He  shook  'is  'ead  and  looked  at  them  sorrow- 
ful and  severe  at  the  same  time. 

"'So  I  'eard,  and  I  couldn't  believe  my  ears 
till  I  went  and  looked  for  myself,'  he  ses,  '  and 
wot  I  want  to  say  is  this :  you  know  wot  I  'm 
referring  to.  If  any  man  'as  found  wot  don't 
belong  to  him  'e  knows  who  to  give  it  to.  It 
ain't  wot  I  should  'ave  expected  of  men  wot's 
lived  in  the  same  place  as  me  for  years.  Talk 
about  honesty,'  'e  ses,  shaking  'is  'ead  agin,  '  I 
should  like  to  see  a  little  of  it' 

"  Peter  Smith  opened  his  mouth  to  speak,  and 
'ardly  knowing  wot  'e  was  doing  took  a  pull  at  'is 
beer  at  the  same  time,  and  if  Sam  Jones  'adn't 
been  by  to  thump  'im  on  the  back  I  b'lieve  he'd 
ha'  died  there  and  then. 

" '  Mark  my  words,'  ses  George  English,  speak- 
ing very  slow  and  solemn,  'there'll  be  no  bless- 
ing on  it.  Whoever 's  made  'is  fortune  by  getting 
up  and  digging  'is  garden  over  won't  get  no 
real  benefit  from  it.  He  may  wear  a  black 
coat  and  new  trousers  on  Sunday,  but  'e  won't 
be  'appy.      I  '11  go   and  get   my   little   taste  o' 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  71 

beer  somewhere  else,'  'e  ses.  '  I  can't  breathe 
here.' 

M  He  walked  off  before  any  one  could  say 
a  word ;  Bill  Chambers  dropped  'is  pipe  and 
smashed  it,  Henery  Walker  sat  staring  after  'im 
with  'is  mouth  wide  open,  and  Sam  Jones,  who 
was  always  one  to  take  advantage,  drank  'is  own 
beer  under  the  firm  belief  that  it  was  Joe's. 

" '  I  shall  take  care  that  Mrs.  Pawlett  'ears  o' 
this,'  ses  Henery,  at  last. 

" '  And  be  asked  wot  you  dug  your  garden  up 
for,'  ses  Joe,  '  and  'ave  to  explain  that  you  broke 
your  promise  to  George.  Why,  she  'd  talk  at  us 
for  years  and  years.' 

" '  And  parson  'ud  preach  a  sermon  about  it,' 
ses  Sam  ;  '  where 's  your  sense,  Henery  ? ' 

" '  We  should  be  the  larfing-stock  for  miles 
round,'  ses  Bill  Chambers.  'If  anybody  wants 
to  know,  I  dug  my  garden  up  to  enrich  the  soil 
for  next  year,  and  also  to  give  some  other  chap  a 
chance  of  the  prize.' 

"Peter  Smith  'as  always  been  a  unfortunit 
man  ;  he 's  got  the  name  for  it.  He  was  just 
'aving  another  drink  as  Bill  said  that,  and  this 
time  we  all  thought  'e  'd  gorn.     He  did  hisself. 

"  Mrs.  Pawlett  and  the  parson  came  'ome  next 
day,  an'  'er  voice  got  that  squeaky  with  surprise 
it  was  painful  to  listen  to  her.      All  the  chaps 


72  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

stuck  to  the  tale  that  they'd  dug  their  garden  up 
to  give  the  others  a  chance,  and  Henery  Walker, 
'e  went  further  and  said  it  was  owing  to  a  sermon 
on  unselfishness  wot  the  curate  'ad  preached 
three  weeks  afore.  He  'ad  a  nice  little  red- 
covered  'ymn-book  the  next  day  with  '  From  a 
friend  '  wrote  in  it. 

"  All  things  considered,  Mrs.  Pawlett  was  for 
doing  away  with  the  Flower  Show  that  year  and 
giving  two  prizes  next  year  instead,  but  one  or 
two  other  chaps,  encouraged  by  Bob's  example, 
'ad  given  in  their  names  too,  and  they  said  it 
wouldn't  be  fair  to  their  wives.  All  the  gardens 
but  one  was  worse  than  Bob's,  the  men  not  having 
started  till  later  than  wot  'e  did,  and  not  being 
able  to  get  their  geraniums  from  'is  florist.  The 
only  better  garden  was  Ralph  Thomson's,  who 
lived  next  door  to  'im,  but  two  nights  afore  the 
Flower  Show  'is  pig  got  walking  in  its  sleep. 
Ralph  said  it  was  a  mystery  to  'im  'ow  the  pig 
could  ha'  got  out ;  it  must  ha'  put  its  foot 
through  a  hole  too  small  for  it,  and  turned  the 
button  of  its  door,  and  then  climbed  over  a  four- 
foot  fence.  He  told  Bob  'e  wished  the  pig  could 
speak,  but  Bob  said  that  that  was  sinful  and 
unchristian  of  'im,  and  that  most  likely  if  it 
could,  it  would  only  call  'im  a  lot  o'  bad  names, 
and  ask  'im  why  he  didn't  feed  it  properly. 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  73 

"There  was  quite  a  crowd  on  Flower  Show 
day  following  the  judges.  First  of  all,  to  Bill 
Chambers's  astonishment  and  surprise,  they  went 
to  'is  place  and  stood  on  the  'eaps  in  'is  garden 
judging  'em,  while  Bill  peeped  at  'em  through  the 
kitchen  winder  'arf  crazy.  They  went  to  every 
garden  in  the  place,  until  one  of  the  young  ladies 
got  tired  of  it,  and  asked  Mrs.  Pawlett  whether 
they  was  there  to  judge  cottage-gardens  or 
earthquakes. 

"  Everybody  'eld  their  breaths  that  evening  in 
the  schoolroom  when  Mrs.  Pawlett  got  up  on 
the  platform  and  took  a  slip  of  paper  from  one  of 
the  judges.  She  stood  a  moment  waiting  for 
silence,  and  then  'eld  up  her  'and  to  stop  what 
she  thought  was  clapping  at  the  back,  but  which 
was  two  or  three  wimmen  who  'ad  'ad  to  take 
their  crying  babies,  out  trying  to  quiet  'em  in  the 
porch.  Then  Mrs.  Pawlett  put  'er  glasses  on  her 
nose  and  just  read  out,  short  and  sweet,  that  the 
prize  of  three  sovereigns  and  a  metal  teapot  for 
the  best-kept  cottage  garden  'ad  been  won  by 
Mr.  Robert  Pretty. 

"  One  or  two  people  patted  Bob  on  the  back  as 
'e  walked  up  the  middle  to  take  the  prize ;  then 
one  or  two  more  did,  and  Bill  Chambers's  pat  was 
the  'eartiest  of  'em  all.  Bob  stopped  and  spoke 
to  'im  about  it. 


74  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"You  would  'ardly  think  that  Bob  'ud  have  the 
cheek  to  stand  up  there  and  make  a  speech,  but 
'e  did.  He  said  it  gave  'im  great  pleasure  to 
take  the  teapot  and  the  money,  and  the  more 
pleasure  because  'e  felt  that  'e  had  earned  'em. 
He  said  that  if  'e  told  'em  all  'e  'd  done  to  make 
sure  o'  the  prize  they'd  be  surprised.  He  said 
that  'e  'd  been  like  Ralph  Thomson's  pig,  up  early 
and  late. 

"  He  stood  up  there  talking  as  though  'e  was 
never  going  to  leave  off,  and  said  that  'e  hoped 
as  'is  example  would  be  of  benefit  to  'is  neigh- 
bours. Some  of  'em  seemed  to  think  that 
digging  was  everything,  but  'e  could  say  with 
pride  that  'e  'adn't  put  a  spade  to  'is  garden  for 
three  years  until  a  week  ago,  and  then  not  much. 

"  He  finished  'is  remarks  by  saying  that  'e  was 
going  to  give  a  tea-party  up  at  the  'Cauliflower' 
to  christen  the  teapot,  where  'e  'd  be  pleased  to 
welcome  all  friends.  Quite  a  crowd  got  up  and 
followed  'im  out  then,  instead  o'  waiting  for  the 
dissolving  views,  and  came  back  'arf  an  hour 
arterwards,  saying  that  until  they  'd  got  as  far  as 
the  'Cauliflower'  they'd  no  idea  as  Bob  was  so 
pertickler  who  'e  mixed  with. 

"That  was  the  last  Flower  Show  we  ever  'ad  in 
Claybury,  Mrs.  Pawlett  and  the  judges  meeting 
the  tea-party  coming  'ome,  and  'aving  to  get  over 


A    GARDEN    PLOT  75 

a  gate  into  a  field  to  let  it  pass.  What  with  that 
and  Mrs.  Pawlett  tumbling  over  something 
further  up  the  road,  which  turned  out  to  be  the 
teapot,  smelling  strong  of  beer,  the  Flower  Show 
was  given  up,  and  the  parson  preached  three 
Sundays  running  on  the  sin  of  beer-drinking  to 
children  who  'd  never  'ad  any  and  wimmen  who 
couldn't  get  it" 


PRIVATE  CLOTHES 

AT  half-past  nine  the  crew  of  the  Merman 
were  buried  in  slumber,  at  nine  thirty-two 
three  of  the  members  were  awake  with  heads 
protruding  out  of  their  bunks,  trying  to  peer 
through  the  gloom,  while  the  fourth  dreamt  that 
a  tea-tray  was  falling  down  a  never-ending  stair- 
case. On  the  floor  of  the  forecastle  something 
was  cursing  prettily  and  rubbing  itself. 

"Did  you  'ear  anything,  Ted?"  inquired  a 
voice  in  an  interval  of  silence. 

"Who  Is  it?"  demanded  Ted,  ignoring  the 
question.     "  Wot  d'  yer  want  ?  " 

"  I  '11  let  you  know  who  I  am,"  said  a  thick 
and  angry  voice.    "  I  've  broke  my  blarsted  back." 

u  Light  the  lamp,  Bill,"  said  Ted. 

Bill  struck  a  tandsticker  match,  and  carefully 
nursing  the  tiny  sulphurous  flame  with  his  hand, 
saw  dimly  some  high-coloured  object  on  the 
floor.  He  got  out  of  his  bunk  and  lit  the  lamp, 
and  an  angry  and  very  drunken  member  of  His 
Majesty's  foot  forces  became  visible. 

n 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  77 

"Wot  are  you  doin'  'ere?"  inquired  Ted, 
sharply,  "  this  ain't  the  guard-room." 

"  Who  knocked  me  over  ? "  demanded  the 
soldier,  sternly;  "take  your  co — coat  off  lik'  a 
man." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  swayed  unsteadily  to 
and  fro. 

"  If  you  keep  your  HT  'eads  still,"  he  said 
gravely,  to  Bill,  "  I  '11  punch  'em." 

By  a  stroke  of  good  fortune  he  selected  the 
real  head,  and  gave  it  a  blow  which  sent  it 
crashing  against  the  woodwork.  For  a  moment 
the  seaman  stood  gathering  his  scattered  senses, 
then  with  an  oath  he  sprang  forward,  and  in 
the  lightest  of  fighting  trim  waited  until  his 
adversary,  who  was  by  this  time  on  the  floor 
again,  should  have  regained  his  feet. 

•'He's  drunk,  Bill,"  said  another  voice,  "don't 
'urt  'im.  He's  a  chap  wot  said  'e  was  coming 
aboard  to  see  me — I  met  'im  in  the  *  Green  Man ' 
this  evening.  You  was  coming  to  see  me,  mate, 
wasn't  you  ? " 

The  soldier  looked  up  stupidly,  and  gripping 
hold  of  the  injured  Bill  by  the  shirt,  staggered 
to  his  feet  again,  and  advancing  towards  the  last 
speaker  let  fly  suddenly  in  his  face. 

"Sort  man  I  am,"  he  said,  autobiographically 
"  Feel  my  arm." 


78  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

The  indignant  Bill  took  him  by  both,  and 
throwing  himself  upon  him  suddenly  fell  with 
him  to  the  floor.  The  intruder's  head  met  the 
boards  with  a  loud  crash,  and  then  there  was 
silence. 

•'You  ain't  killed  'im,  Bill?"  said  an  old 
seaman,  stooping  over  him  anxiously. 

"  Course  not,"  was  the  reply ;  "  give  us  some 
water." 

He  threw  some  in  the  soldier's  face,  and 
then  poured  some  down  his  neck,  but  with  no 
result.  Then  he  stood  upright,  and  exchanged 
glances  of  consternation  with  his  friends. 

"  I  don't  like  the  way  he's  breathing,"  he  said, 
in  a  trembling  voice. 

"  You  always  was  pertickler,  Bill,"  said  the 
cook,  who  had  thankfully  got  to  the  bottom  of 
his  staircase.     "  If  I  was  you " 

He  was  not  allowed  to  proceed  any  further ; 
footsteps  and  a  voice  were  heard  above,  and  as 
old  Thomas  hastily  extinguished  the  lamp,  the 
mate's  head  was  thrust  down  the  scuttle,  and  the 
mate's  voice  sounded  a  profane  reveille. 

"Wot  are  we  goin'  to  do  with  it?"  inquired 
Ted,  as  the  mate  walked  away. 

"'Im,  Ted,"  said  Bill,  nervously.  "He's  alive 
all  right." 

"  If  we  put  'im  ashore  an'  'e's  dead,"  said  old 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  79 

Thomas,  "there'll  be  trouble  for  somebody. 
Better  let  'im  be,  and  if  'e  's  dead,  why  we  don't 
none  of  us  know  nothing  about  it." 

The  men  ran  up  on  deck,  and  Bill,  being  the 
last  to  leave,  put  a  boot  under  the  soldier's  head 
before  he  left.  Ten  minutes  later  they  were 
under  way,  and  standing  about  the  deck,  dis- 
cussed the  situation  in  thrilling  whispers  as 
opportunity  offered. 

At  breakfast,  by  which  time  they  were  in  a 
dirty  tumbling  sea,  with  the  Nore  lightship,  a 
brown  forlorn-looking  object,  on  their  beam,  the 
soldier,  who  had  been  breathing  stertorously, 
raised  his  heavy  head  from  the  boot,  and  with 
glassy  eyes  and  tightly  compressed  lips  gazed 
wonderingly  about  him. 

"Wot  cheer,  mate?"  said  the  delighted  Bill. 
"  'Ow  goes  it  ? " 

"  Where  am  I  ?  "  inquired  Private  Harry  Bliss, 
in  a  weak  voice. 

" Brig  Merman"  said  Bill ;  " bound  for  Byster- 
mouth." 

"Well,  I'm  damned,"  said  Private  Bliss;  "it's 
a  blooming  miracle.  Open  the  winder,  it 's  a  bit 
stuffy  down  here.    Who — who  brought  me  here  ?  " 

"You  come  to  see  me  last  night,"  said  Bob, 
"  an'  fell  down,  I  s'pose ;  then  you  punched  Bill 
'ere  in  the  eye  and  me  in  the  jor." 


So  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Bliss,  still  feeling  very  sick  and  faint, 
turned  to  Bill,  and  after  critically  glancing  at 
the  eye  turned  on  him  for  inspection,  transferred 
his  regards  to  the  other  man's  jaw. 

"  I  'm  a  devil  when  I  'm  boozed,"  he  said,  in  a 
satisfied  voice.  "  Well,  I  must  get  ashore ;  I 
shall  get  cells  for  this,  I  expect." 

He  staggered  to  the  ladder,  and  with  unsteady 
haste  gained  the  deck  and  made  for  the  side. 
The  heaving  waters  made  him  giddy  to  look  at, 
and  he  gazed  for  preference  at  a  thin  line  of 
coast  stretching  away  in  the  distance. 

The  startled  mate,  who  was  steering,  gave  him 
a  hail,  but  he  made  no  reply.  A  little  fishing- 
boat  was  jumping  about  in  a  way  to  make  a 
sea-sick  man  crazy,  and  he  closed  his  eyes  with 
a  groan.  Then  the  skipper,  aroused  by  the 
mate's  hail,  came  up  from  below,  and  walking 
up  to  him  put  a  heavy  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"What  are  you  doing  aboard  this  ship?"  he 
demanded,  austerely. 

"  Go  away,"  said  Private  Bliss,  faintly ;  "  take 
your  paw  off  my  tunic  ;  you  '11  spoil  it." 

He  clung  miserably  to  the  side,  leaving  the 
incensed  skipper  to  demand  explanations  from 
the  crew.  The  crew  knew  nothing  about  him, 
and  said  that  he  must  have  stowed  himself  away 
in   an   empty   bunk ;    the   skipper    pointed    out 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  81 

coarsely  that  there  were  no  empty  bunks,  where- 
upon Bill  said  that  he  had  not  occupied  his  the 
previous  evening,  but  had  fallen  asleep  sitting 
on  the  locker,  and  had  injured  his  eye  against 
the  corner  of  a  bunk  in  consequence.  In  proof 
whereof  he  produced  the  eye. 

"  Look  here,  old  man,"  said  Private  Bliss,  who 
suddenly  felt  better.  He  turned  and  patted  the 
skipper  on  the  back.  "  You  just  turn  to  the  left 
a  bit  and  put  me  ashore,  will  you?" 

"  I  '11  put  you  ashore  at  Bystermouth,"  said  the 
skipper,  with  a  grin.  "You're  a  deserter,  that's 
what  you  are.and  I  '11  take  care  you're  took  care  of." 

"  You  put  me  ashore  now ! "  roared  Private 
Bliss,  with  a  very  fine  imitation  of  the  sergeant- 
major's  parade  voice. 

"  Get  out  and  walk,"  said  the  skipper  con- 
temptuously, over  his  shoulder,  as  he  walked  off. 

"  Here,"  said  Mr.  Bliss,  unbuckling  his  belt, 
"  hold  my  tunic  one  of  you.     I  '11  learn  'im." 

Before  the  paralysed  crew  could  prevent  him 
he  had  flung  his  coat  into  Bill's  arms  and 
followed  the  master  of  the  Merman  aft.  As 
a  light-weight  he  was  rather  fancied  at  the 
gymnasium,  and  in  the  all  too  brief  exhibition 
which  followed  he  displayed  fine  form  and  a 
knowledge  of  anatomy  which  even  the  skipper's 
tailor  was  powerless  to  frustrate. 
F 


82  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

The  frenzy  of  the  skipper  as  Ted  assisted  him 
to  his  feet  and  he  saw  his  antagonist  struggling 
in  the  arms  of  the  crew  was  terrible  to  behold. 
Strong  men  shivered  at  his  words,  but  Mr.  Bliss, 
addressing  him  as  "  Whiskers,"  told  him  to  call 
his  crew  off  and  to  come  on,  and  shaping  as  well 
as  two  pairs  of  brawny  arms  round  his  middle 
would  permit,  endeavoured  in  vain  to  reach 
him. 

"This,"  said  the  skipper,  bitterly,  as  he  turned 
to  the  mate,  "  is  what  you  an'  me  have  to  pay  to 
keep  up.  I  wouldn't  let  you  go  now,  my  lad, 
not  for  a  fi'pun'  note.  Deserter,  that's  what 
you  are ! " 

He  turned  and  went  below,  and  Private  Bliss, 
after  an  insulting  address  to  the  mate,  was  hauled 
forward,  struggling  fiercely,  and  seated  on  the 
deck  to  recover.  The  excitement  passed,  he  lost 
his  colour  again,  and  struggling  into  his  tunic, 
went  and  brooded  over  the  side. 

By  dinner-time  his  faintness  had  passed,  and 
he  sniffed  with  relish  at  the  smell  from  the 
galley.  The  cook  emerged  bearing  dinner  to 
the  cabin,  then  he  returned  and  took  a  fine 
smoking  piece  of  boiled  beef  flanked  with  carrots 
down  to  the  forecastle.  Private  Bliss  eyed  him 
wistfully  and  his  mouth  watered. 

For  a  time  pride  struggled  with  hunger,  then 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  83 

pride  won  a  partial  victory  and  he  descended 
carelessly  to  the  forecastle. 

"Can  any  o'  you  chaps  lend  me  a  pipe  o' 
baccy  ? "  he  asked,  cheerfully. 

Bill  rummaged  in  his  pocket  and  found  a  little 
tobacco  in  a  twist  of  paper. 

"Bad  thing  to  smoke  on  a  empty  stomach," 
he  said,  with  his  mouth  full. 

"'Taln't  my  fault  it's  empty,"  said  Private 
Bliss,  pathetically. 

"  'Tain't  mine,"  said  Bill. 

"  I  've  'eard,"  said  the  cook,  who  was  a  tender- 
hearted man,  "  as  'ow  it 's  a  good  thing  to  go  for 
a  day  or  so  without  food  sometimes." 

"  Who  said  so  ? "  inquired  Private  Bliss,  hotly. 

"  DifPrent  people,"  replied  the  cook. 

"You  can  tell  'em  from  me  they're  blamed 
fools,"  said  Mr.  Bliss. 

There  was  an  uncomfortable  silence  ;  Mr.  Bliss 
lit  his  pipe,  but  it  did  not  seem  to  draw  well. 

"  Did  you  like  that  pot  o'  six-half  I  stood  you 
last  night?"  he  inquired  somewhat  pointedly  of 
Bob. 

Bob  hesitated,  and  looked  at  his  plate. 

"  No,  it  was  a  bit  flat,"  he  said,  at  length. 

"Well,  I  won't  stop  you  chaps  at  your  grub," 
said  Private  Bliss,  bitterly,  as  he  turned  to  de- 
part 


84  LIGHT   FREIGHTS 

"  You  're  not  stopping  us,"  said  Ted,  cheerfully. 
"  I  'd  offer  you  a  bit,  only " 

"  Only  what  ? "  demanded  the  other. 

"  Skipper's  orders,"  said  Ted.  "  He  ses  we  're 
not  to.  He  ses  if  we  do  it 's  helping  a  deserter, 
and  we  '11  all  get  six  months." 

"But  you're  helping  me  by  having  me  on 
board,"  said  Private  Bliss ;  "  besides,  I  don't  want 
to  desert." 

"We  couldn't  'elp  you  coming  aboard,"  said 
Bill,  "  that 's  wot  the  old  man  said,  but  'e  ses  we 
can  'elp  giving  of  him  vittles,  he  ses." 

"Well,  have  I  got  to  starve?"  demanded  the 
horror-stricken  Mr.  Bliss. 

"  Look  'ere,"  said  Bill,  frankly,  "  go  and  speak 
to  the  old  man.  It's  no  good  talking  to  us. 
Go  and  have  it  out  with  him." 

Private  Bliss  thanked  him  and  went  on  deck. 
Old  Thomas  was  at  the  wheel,  and  a  pleasant 
clatter  of  knives  and  forks  came  up  through  the 
open  skylight  of  the  cabin.  Ignoring  the  old 
man,  who  waved  him  away,  he  raised  the  open 
skylight  still  higher,  and  thrust  his  head  in. 

"  Go  away,"  bawled  the  skipper,  pausing  with 
his  knife  in  his  fist,  as  he  caught  sight  of  him. 

"  I  want  to  know  where  I  'm  to  have  my 
dinner,"  bawled  back  the  thoroughly  roused  Mr. 
Bliss. 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  85 

"  Your  dinner ! "  said  the  skipper,  with  an  air 
of  surprise ;  "  why,  I  didn't  know  you  'ad  any." 

Private  Bliss  took  his  head  away,  and  holding 
it  very  erect,  took  in  his  belt  a  little  and  walked 
slowly  up  and  down  the  deck.  Then  he  went  to 
the  water-cask  and  took  a  long  drink,  and  an 
hour  later  a  generous  message  was  received  from 
the  skipper  that  he  might  have  as  many  biscuits 
as  he  liked. 

On  this  plain  fare  Private  Bliss  lived  the 
whole  of  that  day  and  the  next,  snatching  a  few 
hours'  troubled  sleep  on  the  locker  at  nights. 
His  peace  of  mind  was  by  no  means  increased 
by  the  information  of  Ted  that  Bystermouth  was 
a  garrison  town,  and  feeling  that  in  spite  of  any 
explanation  he  would  be  treated  as  a  deserter, 
he  resolved  to  desert  in  good  earnest  at  the  first 
opportunity  that  offered. 

By  the  third  day  nobody  took  any  notice  of 
him,  and  his  presence  on  board  was  almost  for- 
gotten, until  Bob,  going  down  to  the  forecastle, 
created  a  stir  by  asking  somewhat  excitedly  what 
had  become  of  him. 

"  He 's  on  deck,  I  s'pose,"  said  the  cook,  who 
was  having  a  pipe. 

"  He  's  not,"  said  Bob,  solemnly. 

"He's  not  gone  overboard,  I  s'pose?"  said 
Bill,  starting  up. 


86  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Touched  by  this  morbid  suggestion  they  went 
up  on  deck  and  looked  round  ;  Private  Bliss  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  Ted,  who  was  steering, 
had  heard  no  splash.  He  seemed  to  have  dis- 
appeared by  magic,  and  the  cook,  after  a  hurried 
search,  ventured  aft,  and,  descending  to  the  cabin, 
mentioned  his  fears  to  the  skipper. 

"  Nonsense ! "  said  that  gentleman,  sharply. 
"  I  '11  lay  I  '11  find  him." 

He  came  on  deck  and  looked  round,  followed  at 
a  respectful  distance  by  the  crew,  but  there  was 
no  sign  of  Mr.  Bliss.  Then  an  idea,  a  horrid 
idea,  occurred  to  the  cook.  The  colour  left  his 
cheeks  and  he  gazed  helplessly  at  the  skipper, 

"  What  is  it  ? "  bawled  the  latter. 

The  cook,  incapable  of  speech,  raised  a  trem- 
bling hand  and  pointed  to  the  galley.  The  skipper 
started,  and,  rushing  to  the  door,  drew  it  hastily 
back. 

Mr.  Bliss  had  apparently  finished,  though  he 
still  toyed  languidly  with  his  knife  and  fork  as 
though  loth  to  put  them  down.  A  half-emptied 
saucepan  of  potatoes  stood  on  the  floor  by  his 
side,  and  a  bone,  with  a  small  fragment  of  meat 
adhering,  was  between  his  legs  on  a  saucepan  lid 
which  served  as  a  dish. 

"  Rather  underdone,  cook,"  he  said,  severely,  as 
he  met  that  worthy's  horror-stricken  gaze. 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  87 

"  Is  that  the  cabin's  or  the  men's  he's  eaten  ? " 
vociferated  the  skipper. 

"Cabin's,"  replied  Mr.  Bliss,  before  the  cook 
could  speak ;  "  it  looked  the  best.  Now  has 
anybody  got  a  nice  see-gar?" 

He  drew  back  the  door  the  other  side  of  the 
galley  as  he  spoke,  and  went  out  that  way.  A 
move  was  made  towards  him,  but  he  backed,  and 
picking  up  a  handspike  swung  it  round  his 
head. 

"  Let  him  be,"  said  the  skipper  in  a  choking 
voice,  "  let  him  be.  He  '11  have  to  answer  for 
stealing  my  dinner  when  I  get  'im  ashore.  Cook, 
take  the  men's  dinner  down  into  the  cabin.  I  '11 
talk  to  you  by  and  by." 

He  walked  aft  and  disappeared  below,  while 
Private  Bliss,  still  fondling  the  handspike, 
listened  unmoved  to  a  lengthy  vituperation 
which  Bill  called  a  plain  and  honest  opinion  of 
his  behaviour, 

"It's  the  last  dinner  you'll  'ave  for  some 
time,"  he  concluded,  spitefully;  "it'll  be  skilly 
for  you  when  you  get  ashore." 

Mr.  Bliss  smiled,  and,  fidgeting  with  his  tongue, 
asked  him  for  the  loan  of  his  toothpick. 

"You  won't  be  using  it  yourself,"  he  urged. 
"  Now  you  go  below  all  of  you  and  start  on  the 
biscuits,  there  's  good  men.     It 's  no  use  standing 


88  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

there  saying  a  lot  o'  bad  words  what  I  left  off 
when  I  was  four  years  old." 

He  filled  his  pipe  with  some  tobacco  he  had 
thoughtfully  borrowed  from  the  cook  before 
dinner,  and  dropping  into  a  negligent  attitude 
on  the  deck,  smoked  placidly  with  his  eyes  half 
closed.  The  brig  was  fairly  steady  and  the  air 
hot  and  slumberous,  and  with  an  easy  assurance 
that  nobody  would  hit  him  while  in  that  position, 
he  allowed  his  head  to  fall  on  his  chest  and 
dropped  off  into  a  light  sleep. 

It  became  evident  to  him  the  following  after- 
noon that  they  were  nearing  Bystermouth.  The 
skipper  contented  himself  with  eyeing  him  with 
an  air  of  malicious  satisfaction,  but  the  crew 
gratified  themselves  by  painting  the  horrors  of 
his  position  in  strong  colours.  Private  Bliss 
affected  indifference,  but  listened  eagerly  to  all 
they  had  to  say,  with  the  air  of  a  general  con- 
sidering his  enemy's  plans. 

It  was  a  source  of  disappointment  to  the  crew 
that  they  did  not  arrive  until  after  nightfall,  and 
the  tide  was  already  too  low  for  them  to  enter  the 
harbour.  They  anchored  outside,  and  Private 
Bliss,  despite  his  position,  felt  glad  as  he  smelt 
the  land  again,  and  saw  the  twinkling  lights  and 
houses  ashore.  He  could  even  hear  the  clatter 
of  a  belated  vehicle  driving  along  the  seafront. 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  89 

Lights  on  the  summits  of  the  heights  in  the 
background  indicated,  so  Bill  said,  the  position 
of  the  fort. 

To  the  joy  of  the  men  he  partly  broke  down 
in  the  forecastle  that  night;  and,  in  tropical 
language,  severally  blamed  his  parents,  the 
School  Board,  and  the  Army  for  not  having 
taught  him  to  swim.  The  last  thing  that  Bill 
heard,  ere  sleep  closed  his  lids,  was  a  pious 
resolution  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Bliss  to  the  effect 
that  all  his  children  should  be  taught  the  art  of 
natation  as  soon  as  they  were  born. 

Bill  woke  up  just  before  six ;  and,  hearing  a 
complaining  voice,  thought  at  first  that  his 
military  friend  was  still  speaking.  The  voice 
got  more  and  more  querulous  with  occasional 
excursions  into  the  profane,  and  the  seaman, 
rubbing  his  eyes,  turned  his  head,  and  saw  old 
Thomas  groping  about  the  forecastle. 

"Wot's  the  matter  with  you,  old  'un?"  he 
demanded. 

"  I  can't  find  my  trousis,"  grumbled  the  old  man. 

"Did  you  'ave  'em  on  larst  night?"  inquired 
Bill,  who  was  still  half  asleep. 

"Course  I  did,  you  fool,"  said  the  other, 
snappishly. 

"Be  civil,"  said  Bill,  calmly,  "be  civil.  Are 
you  sure  you  haven't  got  'em  on  now?" 


90  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

The  old  man  greeted  this  helpful  suggestion 
with  such  a  volley  of  abuse  that  Bill  lost  his 
temper. 

"  P'r'aps  somebody 's  got  'em  on  their  bed,  think- 
ing they  was  a  patchwork  quilt,"  he  said,  coldly ; 
"it's  a  mistake  anybody  might  make.  Have 
you  got  the  jacket  ? ' 

"  I  ain't  got  nothing,"  replied  the  bewildered 
old  man,  "  'cept  wot  I  stand  up  in." 

"  That  ain't  much,"  said  Bill,  frankly.  "Where 's 
that  blooming  sojer  ?  "  he  demanded,  suddenly. 

"  I  don't  know  where  'e  is,  and  I  don't  care," 
replied  the  old  man.     "  On  deck,  I  s'pose." 

"  P'r'aps  'e  's  got  'em  on,"  said  the  unforgiving 
Bill ;  "  'e  didn't  seem  a  very  pertickler  sort  of 
chap." 

The  old  man  started,  and  hurriedly  ascended 
to  the  deck.  He  was  absent  two  or  three  minutes, 
and,  when  he  returned,  consternation  was  writ 
large  upon  his  face. 

"  He 's  gone,"  he  spluttered ;  "  there  ain't  a 
sign  of  'im  about,  and  the  life-belt  wot  hangs  on 
the  galley  'as  gone  too.     Wot  am  I  to  do  ? " 

"Well,  they  was  very  old  does,"  said  Bill, 
soothingly,  "  an'  you  ain't  a  bad  figger,  not  for 
your  time  o'  life,  Thomas." 

"There's  many  a  wooden-legged  man  'ud  be 
glad  to  change  with  you,"  affirmed  Ted,  who  had 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  91 

been  roused  by  the  noise.  "  You  '11  soon  get  over 
the  feeling  o'  shyness,  Thomas." 

The  forecastle  laughed  encouragingly,  until 
Thomas,  who  had  begun  to  realise  the  position, 
joined  in.  He  laughed  till  the  tears  ran  down 
his  cheeks,  and  his  excitement  began  to  alarm 
his  friends. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Thomas,"  said  Bob,  anxiously. 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  said  the  old  man,  struggling 
hysterically  ;  "  it 's  the  best  joke  I  've  heard." 

"  He 's  gone  dotty,"  said  Ted,  solemnly.  "  I 
never  'eard  of  a  man  larfing  like  that  a  'cos  he  'd 
lorst  'is  does." 

"  I  'm  not  larfing  at  that,"  said  Thomas,  regain- 
ing his  composure  by  a  great  effort.  "  I  'm  larfing 
at  a  joke  wot  you  don't  know  of  yet." 

A  deadly  chill  struck  at  the  hearts  of  the 
listeners  at  these  words,  then  Bill,  after  a  glance 
at  the  foot  of  his-  bunk,  where  he  usually  kept 
his  clothes,  sprang  out  and  began  a  hopeless 
search.  The  other  men  followed  suit,  and  the 
air  rang  with  lamentations  and  profanity.  Even 
the  spare  suits  in  the  men's  chests  had  gone ; 
and  Bill,  a  prey  to  acute  despair,  sat  down,  and 
in  a  striking  passage  consigned  the  entire  British 
Army  to  perdition. 

"  'E  's  taken  one  suit  and  chucked  the  rest  over- 
board, I  expect,  so  as  we  shan't  be  able  to  go 


92  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

arter  'im,"  said  Thomas.  "  I  expect  he  could 
swim  arter  all,  Bill." 

Bill,  still  busy  with  the  British  Army,  paid  no 
heed. 

"  We  must  go  an'  tell  the  old  man,"  said 
Ted. 

"  Better  be  careful,"  cautioned  the  cook.  "'Im 
an'  the  mate  'ad  a  go  at  the  whisky  last  night, 
an'  you  know  wot  'e  is  next  morning." 

The  men  went  up  slowly  on  deck.  The  morn- 
ing  was  fine,  but  the  air,  chill  with  a  breeze  from 
the  land,  had  them  at  a  disadvantage.  Ashore, 
a  few  people  were  early  astir. 

"You  go  down,  Thomas,  you're  the  oldest," 
said  Bill. 

"  I  was  thinking  o'  Ted  going,"  said  Thomas, 
"  'e  's  the  youngest." 

Ted  snorted  derisively.  "  Oh,  was  you  ?  "  he 
remarked,  helpfully. 

"Or  Bob,"  said  the  old  man,  "don't  matter 
which." 

"  Toss  up  for  it,"  said  the  cook. 

Bill,  who  was  keeping  his  money  in  his  hand 
as  the  only  safe  place  left  to  him,  produced  a 
penny  and  spun  it  in  the  air. 

"  Wait  a  bit,"  said  Ted,  earnestly.  "  Wot  time 
was  you  to  call  the  old  man  ?  "  he  asked,  turning 
to  the  cook. 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  93 

"  Toss  up  for  it,"  repeated  that  worthy, 
hurriedly. 

"  Six  o'clock,"  said  Bob,  speaking  for  him ; 
"it's  that  now,  cookie.  Better  go  an'  call  'im 
at  once." 

"  I  dassent  go  like  this,"  said  the  trembling  cook. 

"  Well,  you'll  'ave  to,"  said  Bill.  "  If  the  old 
man  misses  the  tide,  you  know  wot  you  've  got 
to  expect." 

"Let's  follow  'im  down,"  said  Ted.  "Come 
along,  cookie,  we  '11  see  you  righted." 

The  cook  thanked  him,  and,  followed  by  the 
others,  led  the  way  down  to  interview  the  skipper. 
The  clock  ticked  on  the  mantelpiece,  and  heavy 
snoring  proceeded  both  from  the  mate's  bunk 
and  the  state-room.  On  the  door  of  the  latter 
the  cook  knocked  gently ;  then  he  turned  the 
handle  and  peeped  in. 

The  skipper,  raising  a  heavy  head,  set  in 
matted  hair  and  disordered  whiskers,  glared  at 
him  fiercely. 

"  What  d'  ye  want  ?  "  he  roared. 

"  If  you  please,  sir "  began  the  cook. 

He  opened  the  door  as  he  spoke,  and  disclosed 
the  lightly-clad  crowd  behind.  The  skipper's 
eyes  grew  large  and  his  jaw  dropped,  while  in- 
articulate words  came  from  his  parched  and 
astonished  throat ;  and  the  mate,  who   was  by 


94  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

this  time  awake,  sat  up  in  his  bunk  and  cursed 
them  roundly  for  their  indelicacy. 

"  Get  out,"  roared  the  skipper,  recovering  his 
voice. 

"We  came  to  tell  you,"  interposed  Bill,  "as 
'ow " 

"  Get  out,"  roared  the  skipper  again.  "  How  dare 
you  come  to  my  state-room,  and  like  this,  too." 

"All  our  clothes  'ave  gone  and  so  'as  the 
sojer  chap,"  said  Bill. 

"  Serve  you  damned  well  right  for  letting  him 
go,"  cried  the  skipper,  angrily.  "  Hurry  up, 
George,  and  get  alongside,"  he  called  to  the 
mate,  "we'll  catch  him  yet.  Clear  out,  you — 
you — ballet  girls." 

The  indignant  seamen  withdrew  slowly,  and, 
reaching  the  foot  of  the  companion,  stood  there 
in  mutinous  Indecision.  Then,  as  the  cook  placed 
his  foot  on  the  step,  the  skipper  was  heard  calling 
to  the  mate  again. 

"  George  ?  "  he  said,  in  an  odd  voice. 

"  Well  ? "  was  the  reply. 

"  I  hope  you  're  not  forgetting  yourself  and 
playing  larks,"  said  the  skipper,  with  severity. 

"  Larks  ? "  repeated  the  mate,  as  the  alarmed 
crew  fled  silently  on  deck  and  stood  listening 
open-mouthed  at  the  companion.  "  Of  course  I 
ain't     You  don't  mean  to  tell  me " 


PRIVATE    CLOTHES  95 

"  All  my  clothes  have  gone,  every  stitch  I  've 
got,"  replied  the  skipper,  desperately,  as  the  mate 
sprang  out.  "  I  shall  have  to  borrow  some  of 
yours.     If  I  catch  that  infernal " 

"  You  're  quite  welcome,"  said  the  mate,  bitterly, 
"  only    somebody    has    borrowed    'em    already. 

That's  what  comes  of  sleeping  too  heavy." 

***** 

The  Merman  sailed  bashfully  into  harbour  half 
an  hour  later,  the  uniforms  of  its  crew  evoking 
severe  comment  from  the  people  on  the  quay. 
At  the  same  time,  Mr.  Harry  Bliss,  walking  along 
the  road  some  ten  miles  distant,  was  trying  to 
decide  upon  his  future  career,  his  present  calling 
of  "  shipwrecked  sailor "  being  somewhat  too 
hazardous  even  for  his  bold  spirit. 


THE     BULLY     OF     THE 
"CAVENDISH" 

TALKING  of  prize-fighters,  sir,"  said  the 
night-watchman,  who  had  nearly  danced 
himself  over  the  edge  of  the  wharf  in  illustrating 
one  of  Mr.  Corbett's  most  trusted  blows,  and  was 
now  sitting  down  taking  in  sufficient  air  for  three, 
"  they  ain't  wot  they  used  to  be  when  I  was  a 
boy.  They  advertise  in  the  papers  for  months 
and  months  about  their  fights,  and  when  it  does 
come  off,  they  do  it  with  gloves,  and  they  're  all 
right  agin  a  day  or  two  arter. 

"  I  saw  a  picter  the  other  day  o'  one  punching 
a  bag  wot  couldn't  punch  back,  for  practice. 
Why,  I  remember  as  a  young  man  Sinker  Pitt, 
as  used  to  'ave  the  '  King's  Arms '  'ere  in  'is  old 
age ;  when  'e  wanted  practice  'is  plan  was  to  dress 
up  in  a  soft  'at  and  black  coat  like  a  chapel 
minister  or  something,  and  go  in  a  pub  and 
contradict  people;  sailor-men  for  choice.  He'd 
ha'  no  more  thought  o'  hitting  a  pore  'armless  bag 
than  I  should  ha'  thought  of  hitting  'im. 

N 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "  97 

"  The  strangest  prize-fighter  I  ever  come  acrost 
was  one  wot  shipped  with  me  on  the  Cavendish. 
He  was  the  most  eggstrordinry  fighter  I  've  ever 
seen  or  'eard  of,  and  'e  got  to  be  such  a  nuisance 
afore  'e'd  done  with  us  that  we  could  'ardly  call 
our  souls  our  own.  He  shipped  as  an  ordinary 
seaman — a  unfair  thing  to  do,  as  'e  was  anything 
but  ordinary,  and  'ad  no  right  to  be  there  at  all. 

"  We  'd  got  one  terror  on  board  afore  he  come, 
and  that  was  Bill  Bone,  one  o'  the  biggest  and 
strongest  men  I  've  ever  seen  down  a  ship's 
fo'c's'le,  and  that's  saying  a  good  deal.  Built 
more  like  a  bull  than  a  man,  'e  was,  and  when  he 
was  in  his  tantrums  the  best  thing  to  do  was  to 
get  out  of  'is  way  or  else  get  into  your  bunk  and 
keep  quiet.  Oppersition  used  to  send  'im  crazy 
a'most,  an'  if  'e  said  a  red  shirt  was  a  blue  one, 
you  'ad  to  keep  quiet.  It  didn't  do  to  agree  with 
'im  and  call  it  blue  even,  cos  if  you  did  he'd  call 
you  a  liar  and  punch  you  for  telling  lies. 

"  He  was  the  only  drawback  to  that  ship.  We 
'ad  a  nice  old  man,  good  mates,  and  good  grub. 
You  may  know  it  was  Ai  when  I  tell  you  that 
most  of  us  'ad  been  in  'er  for  several  v'y'ges. 

"  But  Bill  was  a  drawback,  and  no  mistake. 
In  the  main  he  was  a  'earty,  good-tempered  sort 
o'  shipmate  as  you  'd  wish  to  see,  only,  as  I 
said  afore,  oppersition  was  a  thing  he  could  not 

G 


98  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

and  would  not  stand.  It  used  to  fly  to  his  'ead 
direckly. 

"  The  v'y'ge  I  'm  speaking  of — we  used  to 
trade  between  Australia  and  London — Bill  came 
aboard  about  an  hour  afore  the  ship  sailed.  The 
rest  of  us  was  already  aboard  and  down  below, 
some  of  us  stowing  our  things  away  and  the  rest 
sitting  down  and  telling  each  other  lies  about 
wot  we'd  been  doing.  Bill  came  lurching  down 
the  ladder,  and  Tom  Baker  put  'is  'and  to  'im  to 
steady  'im  as  he  got  to  the  bottom. 

" '  Who  are  you  putting  your  'ands  on  ? '  ses 
Bill,  glaring  at  'im. 

" '  Only  'olding  you  up,  Bill/  ses  Tom,  smiling. 

"  '  Oh,'  ses  Bill. 

"  He  put  'is  back  up  agin  a  bunk  and  pulled 
hisself  together. 

""Olding  of  me — up — was  you?'  he  ses; 
'  whaffor,  if  I  might  be  so  bold  as  to  arsk  ? ' 

"  '  I  thought  your  foot  'ad  slipped,  Bill,  old 
man,'  ses  Tom  ;  '  but  I  'm  sorry  if  it  'adn't' 

"  Bill  looks  at  'im  agin,  'ard. 

"  '  Sorry  if  my  foot  didn't  slip  ? '  he  ses. 

"  •  You  know  wot  I  mean,  Bill,'  ses  Tom,  smiling 
a  uneasy  smile. 

"  '  Don't  laugh  at  me,'  roars  Bill. 

"  '  I  wasn't  laughing,  Bill,  old  pal,'  ses  Tom. 

"  •  'E  's  called  me  a  liar,'  ses  Bill,  looking  round 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "CAVENDISH"    99 

at  us  ;  *  called  me  a  liar.  'Old  my  coat,  Charlie, 
and  I  '11  split  'im  in  halves." 

"  Charlie  took  the  coat  like  a  lamb,  though  he 
was  Tom's  pal,  and  Tom  looked  round  to  see 
whether  he  couldn't  nip  up  the  ladder  and  get 
away,  but  Bill  was  just  in  front  of  it.  Then  Tom 
found  out  that  one  of  'is  bootlaces  was  undone 
and  he  knelt  down  to  do  it  up,  and  this  young 
ordinary  seaman,  Joe  Simms  by  name,  put  his 
'ead  out  of  his  bunk  and  he  ses,  quiet-like — 

"  •  You  ain't  afraid  of  that  thing,  mate,  are 
you? ' 

"'  Wot?'  screams  Bill,  starting. 

"'Don't  make  such  a  noise  when  I'm  speak- 
ing,' ses  Joe ;  '  where 's  your  manners,  you  great 
'ulking  rascal? ' 

"  I  thought  Bill  would  ha'  dropped  with  sur- 
prise at  being  spoke  to  like  that.  His  face  was 
purple  all  over  and  'e  stood  staring  at  Joe  as 
though  'e  didn't  know  wot  to  make  of  'im.  And 
we  stared  too,  Joe  being  a  smallish  sort  o'  chap 
and  not  looking  at  all  strong. 

"  '  Go  easy,  mate,'  whispers  Tom ;  '  you  don't 
know  who  you  're  talking  to.' 

" '  Bosh,'  ses  Joe,  '  he 's  no  good.  He 's  too  fat 
and  too  silly  to  do  any  'arm.  He  shan't  'urt  you 
while  I  'm  'ere.' 

"  He  just  rolled  out  of  'is  bunk  and,  standing 


ioo  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

in  front  of  Bill,  put  'is  fists  up  at  'im  and  stared 
'im  straight  in  the  eye. 

*' '  You  touch  that  man,'  he  ses,  quietly,  point- 
ing to  Tom,  '  and  I  '11  give  you  such  a  dressing- 
down  as  you've  never  'ad  afore.  Mark  my 
words,  now.' 

" '  I  wasn't  going  to  'it  him,'  ses  Bill,  in  a 
strange,  mild  voice. 

"  '  You  'd  better  not,'  ses  the  young  'un,  shaking 
his  fist  at  'im  ;  'you'd  better  not,  my  lad.  If 
there's  any  fighting  to  be  done  in  this  fo'c's'le 
I  '11  do  it.     Mind  that.' 

"  It 's  no  good  me  saying  we  was  staggered ; 
becos  staggered  ain't  no  word  for  it.  To  see  Bill 
put  'is  hands  in  'is  pockets  and  try  and  whistle, 
and  then  sit  down  on  a  locker  and  scratch  'is 
'ead,  was  the  most  amazing  thing  I  've  ever  seen. 
Presently  'e  begins  to  sing  under  his  breath. 

"  '  Stop  that  'umming,'  ses  Joe  ;  '  when  I  want 
you  to  'um  I  '11  tell  you.' 

"  Bill  left  off  'umming,  and  then  he  gives  a 
little  cough  behind  the  back  of  'is  'and,  and,  arter 
fidgeting  about  a  bit  with  'is  feet,  went  up  on 
deck  again. 

" '  'Strewth,'  ses  Tom,  looking  round  at  us, 
1 'ave  we  shipped  a  bloomin'  prize-fighter?' 

"  '  Wot  did  you  call  me  ? '  ses  Joe,  looking  at  'im. 

" '  Nothing,  mate,'  ses  Tom,  drawing  back. 


D 

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THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "    toi 

" ■  You  keep  a  quiet  tongue  in  your  'ead,'  ses 
Joe, '  and  speak  when  you  're  spoken  to,  my  lad.' 

"  He  was  a  ordinary  seaman,  mind,  talking  to 
A.B.'s  like  that.  Men  who'd  been  up  aloft  and 
doing  their  little  bit  when  'e  was  going  about 
catching  cold  in  'is  little  petticuts.  Still,  if  Bill 
could  stand  it,  we  supposed  as  we'd  better. 

"  Bill  stayed  up  on  deck  till  we  was  under 
way,  and  'is  spirit  seemed  to  be  broke.  He  went 
about  'is  work  like  a  man  wot  was  walking  in  'is 
sleep,  and  when  breakfast  come  'e  'ardly  tasted  it. 

"  Joe  made  a  splendid  breakfast,  and  when 
he'd  finished  'e  went  to  Bill's  bunk  and  chucked 
the  things  out  all  over  the  place  and  said  'e 
was  going  to  'ave  it  instead  of  his  own.  And 
Bill  sat  there  and  took  it  all  quiet,  and  by  and 
by  he  took  'is  things  up  and  put  them  in  Joe's 
bunk  without  a  word. 

"  It  was  the  most  peaceful  fust  day  we  'ad  ever 
'ad  down  that  fo'c's'le,  Bill  usually  being  in  'is 
tantrums  the  fust  day  or  two  at  sea,  and  wanting 
to  know  why  'e'd  been  born.  If  you  talked  you 
was  noisy  and  worriting,  and  if  you  didn't  talk 
you  was  sulky ;  but  this  time  'e  sat  quite  still 
and  didn't  interfere  a  bit.  It  was  such  a  pleasant 
change  that  we  all  felt  a  bit  grateful,  and  at  tea- 
time  Tom  Baker  patted  Joe  on  the  back  and  said 
he  was  one  o'  the  right  old  sort 


102  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  You  've  been  in  a  scrap  or  two  in  your  time, 
I  know,'  he  ses,  admiring  like.  '  I  knew  you  was 
a  bit  of  a  one  with  your  fists  direckly  I  see  you.' 

" '  Oh,  'ow  's  that  ? '  asks  Joe. 

" '  I  could  see  by  your  nose,'  ses  Tom. 

"  You  never  know  how  to  take  people  like  that 
The  words  'ad  'ardly  left  Tom's  lips  afore  the 
other  ups  with  a  basin  of  'ot  tea  and  heaves  it 
all  over  'im. 

" '  Take  that,  you  insulting  rascal,'  he  ses,  as 
Tom  jumped  up  spluttering  and  wiping  'is  face 
with  his  coat.     *  How  dare  you  insult  me  ? ' 

"  '  Get  up,'  ses  Tom,  dancing  with  rage.  '  Get 
up ;  prize-fighter  or  no  prize-fighter,  I  '11  mark 
you.' 

" '  Sit  down,'  ses  Bill,  turning  round. 

"  '  I  'm  going  to  'ave  a  go  at  'im,  Bill,'  ses  Tom; 
'  if  you  're  afraid  of  'im,  I  ain't.1 

"  •  Sit  down,'  ses  Bill,  starting  up.  '  'Ow  dare 
you  insult  me  like  that?' 

"  •  Like  wot  ? '  ses  Tom,  staring. 

" '  If  I  can't  lick  'im  you  can't/  ses  Bill ;  « that 's 
'ow  it  is,  mate.' 

" '  But  I  can  try,'  ses  Tom. 

" '  All  right,'  ses  Bill.  '  Me  fust,  then  if  yon 
lick  me,  you  can  'ave  a  go  at  'im.  If  you  can't 
lick  me,  'ow  can  you  lick  'im  ? ' 

*  '  Sit  down  both  of  you/  ses  young  Joe,  drink- 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "CAVENDISH"    103 

ing  Bill's  tea  to  make  up  for  'is  own.  'And  mind 
you,  I  'm  cock  o'  this  fo'c's'le,  and  don't  you 
forget  it.  Sit  down,  both  of  you,  afore  I  start 
on  you.' 

"  They  both  sat  down,  but  Tom  wasn't  quick 
enough  to  please  Bill,  and  he  got  a  wipe  o'  the 
side  o'  the  'ead  that  made  it  ring  for  an  hour 
afterwards. 

"  That  was  the  beginning  of  it,  and  instead  of 
'aving  one  master  we  found  we  'd  got  two,  owing 
to  the  eggstrordinry  way  Bill  had  o'  looking  at 
things.  He  gave  Joe  best  without  even  'aving  a  try 
at  him,  and  if  anybody  else  wanted  to  'ave  a  try, 
it  was  a  insult  to  Bill.  We  couldn't  make  'ead  or 
tail  of  it,  and  all  we  could  get  out  of  Bill  was  that 
'e  had  one  time  'ad  a  turn-up  with  Joe  Simms 
ashore,  which  he'd  remember  all  'is  life.  It  must 
ha'  been  something  of  a  turn,  too,  the  way  Bill 
used  to  try  and  curry  favour  with  'im. 

"  In  about  three  days  our  life  wasn't  worth 
living,  and  the  fo'c's'le  was  more  like  a  Sunday- 
school  class  than  anything  else.  In  the  fust 
place  Joe  put  down  swearing.  He  wouldn't  'ave 
no  bad  langwidge,  he  said,  and  he  didn't  neither. 
If  a  man  used  a  bad  word  Joe  would  pull  'im  up 
the  fust  time,  and  the  second  he  'd  order  Bill  to 
'it  'im,  being  afraid  of  'urting  'im  too  much  'imself. 
'Arf  the  men  'ad  to  leave  off  talking  altogether 


104  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

when  Joe  was  by,  but  the  way  they  used  to  swear 
when  he  wasn't  was  something  shocking.  Harry 
Moore  got  clergyman's  sore  throat  one  arternoon 
through  it. 

"  Then  Joe  objected  to  us  playing  cards  for 
money,  and  we  'ad  to  arrange  on  the  quiet  that 
brace  buttons  was  ha'-pennies  and  coat  buttons 
pennies,  and  that  lasted  until  one  evening  Tom 
Baker  got  up  and  danced  and  nearly  went  off  'is 
'ead  with  joy  through  havin'  won  a  few  dozen. 
That  was  enough  for  Joe,  and  Bill  by  his  orders 
took  the  cards  and  pitched  'em  over  the  side. 

"  Sweet-'earting  and  that  sort  o'  thing  Joe 
couldn't  abear,  and  Ned  Davis  put  his  foot  into 
it  finely  one  arternoon  through  not  knowing. 
He  was  lying  in  'is  bunk  smoking  and  thinking, 
and  by  and  by  he  looked  across  at  Bill,  who  was 
'arf  asleep,  and  'e  ses  : — 

" '  I  wonder  whether  you  '11  see  that  little  gal 
at  Melbourne  agin  this  trip,  Bill.' 

"  Bill's  eyes  opened  wide  and  he  shook  'is  fist 
at  Ned,  as  Ned  thought,  playful-like. 

" '  All  right,  I  'm  a-looking  at  you,  Bill,'  'e  ses. 
'  I  can  see  you.' 

"  '  What  gal  is  that,  Ned  ? '  ses  Joe,  who  was  in 
the  next  bunk  to  him,  and  I  saw  Bill's  eyes  screw 
up  tight,  and  e'  suddenly  fell  fast  asleep. 

" '  I  don't  know  'er  name,'  ses  Ned,  '  but  she 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "    105 

was  very  much  struck  on  Bill ;  they  used  to  go 
to  the  theayter  together.' 

"  '  Pretty  gal  ? '  ses  Joe,  leading  'im  on. 

"'Rather;  ses  Ned.  'Trust  Bill  for  that,  'e 
always  gets  the  prettiest  gal  in  the  place — I  've 
known  as  many  as  six  and  seven  to ' 

'  WOT  1 '  screams  Bill,  waking  up  out  of  'is 
sleep,  and  jumping  out  of  'is  bunk. 

"  '  Keep  still,  Bill,  and  don't  interfere  when  I  'm 
talking,'  ses  Joe,  very  sharp. 

"  '  'E  's  insulted  me,'  ses  Bill ;  '  talking  about  gals 
when  every bodyknows  I  'ate  'em  worse  than  pison.' 

" '  Hold  your  tongue,'   ses   Joe.     •  Now,  Ned 
what's   this   about   this    little  gal?     What's  'er 
name?' 

"'It  was  only  a  little  joke  o'  mine,'  ses  Ned, 
who  saw  'e  'd  put  'is  foot  in  it.  '  Bill  'ates  'em 
worse  than — worse  than — pison.' 

" '  You  're  telling  me  a  lie,'  ses  Joe,  sternly. 
'Who  was  it?' 

"'  It  was  only  my  fun,  Joe,'  ses  Ned. 

"'Oh,  very  well  then,  I'm  going  to  'ave  a  bit 
of  fun  now,'  ses  Joe.     '  Bill ! ' 

" '  Yes,'  ses  Bill. 

" '  I  won't  'it  Ned  myself  for  fear  I  shall  do  'im 
a  lasting  injury,'  ses  Joe,  'so  you  just  start  on  'im 
and  keep  on  till  'e  tells  all  about  your  goings  on 
with  that  gal.' 


106  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"'  Hit  'im  to  make  'im  tell  about  me?'  ses  Bill, 
staring  'is  'ardest. 

"  '  You  'eard  wot  I  said,'  ses  Joe  ;  '  don't  repeat 
my  words.  You  a  married  man,  too ;  I  've  got 
sisters  of  my  own,  and  I  'm  going  to  put  this  sort 
o'  thing  down.     If  you  don't  down  'im,  I  will.' 

"  Ned  wasn't  much  of  a  fighter,  and  I  'alf 
expected  to  see  'im  do  a  bolt  up  on  deck  and 
complain  to  the  skipper.  He  did  look  like  it  for 
a  moment,  then  he  stood  up,  looking  a  bit  white 
as  Bill  walked  over  to  'im,  and  the  next  moment 
'is  fist  flew  out,  and  afore  we  could  turn  round  I  'm 
blest  if  Bill  wasn't  on  the  floor.  'E  got  up  as  if 
'e  was  dazed  like,  struck  out  wild  at  Ned  and 
missed  'im,  and  the  next  moment  was  knocked 
down  agin.  We  could  'ardly  believe  our  eyes, 
and  as  for  Ned,  'e  looked  as  though  'e'd  been 
doing  miracles  by  mistake. 

"  When  Bill  got  up  the  second  time  'e  was  that 
shaky  'e  could  'ardly  stand,  and  Ned  'ad  it  all  'is 
own  way,  until  at  last  'e  got  Bill's  'ead  under  'is 
arm  and  punched  at  it  till  they  was  both  tired. 

" '  All  right,'  ses  Bill ;  « I've  'ad  enough.  I  've 
met  my  master.' 

"  '  Wot  ? '  ses  Joe,  staring. 

" '  I  've  met  my  master,'  ses  Bill,  going  and  sit- 
ting down.     '  Ned  'as  knocked  me  about  crool.' 

"  Joe  looked  at  'im,  speechless,  and  then  without 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "    107 

saying  another  word,  or  'aving  a  go  at  Ned  him- 
self, as  we  expected,  'e  went  up  on  deck,  and  Ned 
crossed  over  and  sat  down  by  Bill. 

" '  I  'ope  I  didn't  hurt  you,  mate,'  he  ses,  kindly. 

"'Hurt  me?' roars  Bill.  'You!  You'urtme? 
You,  you  little  bag  o'  bones.  Wait  till  I  get  you 
ashore  by  yourself  for  five  minits,  Ned  Davis,  and 
then  you  '11  know  what  'urting  means.' 

'"I  don't  understand  you,  Bill,'  ses  Ned ; ' you  're 
a  mystery,  that 's  what  you  are ;  but  I  tell  you 
plain  when  you  go  ashore  you  don't  have  me  for 
a  companion.' 

"  It  was  a  mystery  to  all  of  us,  and  it  got  worse 
and  worse  as  time  went  on.  Bill  didn't  dare  to 
call  'is  soul  'is  own,  although  Joe  only  hit  'im 
once  the  whole  time,  and  then  not  very  hard,  and 
he  excused  'is  cowardice  by  telling  us  of  a  man 
Joe  'ad  killed  in  a  fight  down  in  one  o'  them  West- 
end  clubs. 

"  Wot  with  Joe's  Sunday-school  ways  and  Bill 
backing  'em  up,  we  was  all  pretty  glad  by  the 
time  we  got  to  Melbourne.  It  was  like  getting 
out  o'  pris'n  to  get  away  from  Joe  for  a  little 
while.  All  but  Bill,  that  is,  and  Joe  took  'im  to 
hear  a  dissolving  views  on  John  Bunyan.  Bill  said 
'e  'd  be  delighted  to  go,  but  the  language  he  used 
about  'im  on  the  quiet  when  he  came  back  showed 
what  'e  thought  of  it.     I  don't  know  who  John 


108  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Bunyan  is,  or  wot  he's  done,  but  the  things  Bill 
said  about  'im  I  wouldn't  soil  my  tongue  by 
repeating. 

"  Arter  we  'd  been  there  two  or  three  days  we 
began  to  feel  a'most  sorry  for  Bill.  Night  arter 
night,  when  we  was  ashore,  Joe  would  take  'im  off 
and  look  arter  'im,  and  at  last,  partly  for  'is  sake, 
but  more  to  see  the  fun,  Tom  Baker  managed  to 
think  o'  something  to  put  things  straight. 

"'You  stay  aboard  to-night,  Bill,' he  ses  one 
morning, '  and  you  '11  see  something  that  '11  startle 
you.' 

"  '  Worse  than  you  ? '  ses  Bill,  whose  temper  was 
getting  worse  and  worse. 

"'There'll  be  an  end  o'  that  bullying  Joe,'  ses 
Tom,  taking  'im  by  the  arm.  '  We  've  arranged 
to  give  'im  a  lesson  as '11  lay  'im  up  for  a  time.' 

"'Oh,'  ses  Bill,  looking  'ard  at  a  boat  wot  was 
passing. 

" '  We  've  got  Dodgy  Pete  coming  to  see  us 
to-night,'  ses  Tom,  in  a  whisper;  'there'll  only 
be  the  second  officer  aboard,  and  he'll  likely  be 
asleep.  Dodgy 's  one  o'  the  best  light-weights  in 
Australia,  and  if 'e  don't  fix  up  Mister  Joe,  it'll  be 
a  pity.' 

"'You're  a  fair  treat,  Tom,'  ses  Bill,  turning 
round  ;  '  that 's  what  you  are.     A  fair  treat' 

"  '  I  thought  you  'd  be  pleased,  Bill,'  ses  Tom. 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "    109 

" '  Pleased  ain't  no  name  for  it,  Tom,'  answers 
Bill.     '  You  've  took  a  load  off  my  mind.' 

"The  fo'c's'le  was  pretty  full  that  evening, 
everybody  giving  each  other  a  little  grin  on  the 
quiet,  and  looking  over  to  where  Joe  was  sitting 
in  'is  bunk  putting  a  button  or  two  on  his  coat. 
At  about  ha'-past  six  Dodgy  comes  aboard,  and 
the  fun  begins  to  commence. 

"He  was  a  nasty,  low-looking  little  chap,  was 
Dodgy,  very  fly-looking  and  very  conceited.  I 
didn't  like  the  look  of  'im  at  all,  and  unbearable 
as  Joe  was,  it  didn't  seem  to  be  quite  the  sort  o' 
thing  to  get  a  chap  aboard  to  'ammer  a  shipmate 
you  couldn't  'ammer  yourself. 

"  '  Nasty  stuffy  place  you  've  got  down  'ere,'  ses 
Dodgy,  who  was  smoking  a  big  cigar;  'I  can't 
think  'ow  you  can  stick  it.' 

"'  It  ain't  bad  for  a  fo'c's'le,'  ses  Charlie. 

"'An' what's  that  in  that  bunk  over  there?' 
ses  Dodgy,  pointing  with  'is  cigar  at  Joe. 

"  '  Hush,  be  careful,'  ses  Tom,  with  a  wink ; 
'  that 's  a  prize-fighter.' 

"'Oh,'  ses  Dodgy,  grinning,  'I  thought  it  was 
a  monkey.' 

"  You  might  'ave  heard  a  pin  drop,  and  there 
was  a  pleasant  feeling  went  all  over  us  at  the 
thought  of  the  little  fight  we  was  going  to  see  all 
to  ourselves,  as  Joe  lays  down  the  jacket  he  was 


no  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

stitching  at  and  just  puts  'is  little  'ead  over  the 
side  o'  the  bunk. 

" '  Bill,'  he  ses,  yawning. 

" '  Well,'  ses  Bill,  all  on  the  grin  like  the  rest  of  us. 

"'Who  is  that  'andsome,  gentlemanly-looking 
young  feller  over  there  smoking  a  half-crown 
cigar  ? '  ses  Joe. 

" '  That 's  a  young  gent  wot 's  come  down  to 
'ave  a  look  round,'  ses  Tom,  as  Dodgy  takes  'is 
cigar  out  of  'is  mouth  and  looks  round,  puzzled. 

"'Wot  a  terror  'e  must  be  to  the  gals,  with 
them  lovely  little  peepers  of  'is,'  ses  Joe,  shaking 
'is 'ead.     Bill!* 

"  'Well,'  ses  Bill,  agin,  as  Dodgy  got  up. 

" '  Take  that  lovely  little  gentleman  and  kick  'im 
up  the  fo'c's'le  ladder,'  ses  Joe,  taking  up  'is  jacket 
agin  ;  *  and  don't  make  too  much  noise  over  it,  cos 
I  've  got  a  bit  of  a  'eadache,  else  I  'd  do  it  myself.' 

"There  was  a  laugh  went  all  round  then,  and 
Tom  Baker  was  near  killing  himself,  and  then 
I  'm  blessed  if  Bill  didn't  get  up  and  begin  taking 
off  'is  coat. 

" '  Wot 's  the  game  ? '  ses  Dodgy,  staring. 

"'I'm  obeying  orders,'  ses  Bill.  'Last  time  I 
was  in  London,  Joe  'ere  half  killed  me  one  time, 
and  'e  made  me  promise  to  do  as  'e  told  me  for 
six  months.  I  'm  very  sorry,  mate,  but  I  've  got 
to  kick  you  up  that  ladder.' 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "  CAVENDISH  "    1 1 1 

" '  You  kick  me  up  ? '  ses  Dodgy,  with  a  nasty 
little  laugh. 

" '  I  can  try,  mate,  can't  I  ? '  ses  Bill,  folding  'is 
things  up  very  neat  and  putting  'em  on  a  locker. 

" '  'Old  my  cigar,'  ses  Dodgy,  taking  it  out  of  'is 
mouth  and  sticking  it  in  Charlie's.  '  I  don't  need 
to  take  my  coat  off  to  'im.' 

"  'E  altered  'is  mind,  though,  when  he  saw  Bill's 
chest  and  arms,  and  not  only  took  off  his  coat, 
but  his  waistcoat  too.  Then,  with  a  nasty  look 
at  Bill,  'e  put  up  'is  fists  and  just  pranced  up  to  'im. 

"  The  fust  blow  Bill  missed,  and  the  next 
moment  'e  got  a  tap  on  the  jaw  that  nearly  broke 
it,  and  that  was  followed  up  by  one  in  the  eye  that 
sent  'im  staggering  up  agin  the  side,  and  when  'e 
was  there  Dodgy's  fists  were  rattling  all  round 'im. 

"  I  believe  it  was  that  that  brought  Bill  round, 
and  the  next  moment  Dodgy  was  on  'is  back  with 
a  blow  that  nearly  knocked  his  'ead  off.  Charlie 
grabbed  at  Tom's  watch  and  began  to  count,  and 
after  a  little  bit  called  out  'Time.'  It  was  a 
silly  thing  to  do,  as  it  would  'ave  stopped  the 
fight  then  and  there  if  it  'adn't  been  for  Tom's 
presence  of  mind,  saying  it  was  two  minutes  slow. 
That  gave  Dodgy  a  chance,  and  he  got  up  again 
and  walked  round  Bill  very  careful,  swearing  'ard 
at  the  small  size  of  the  fo'c's'le. 

"  He  got  in  three  or  four  at  Bill  afore  you  could 


ii2  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

wink  a'most,  and  when  Bill  'it  back  'e  wasn't 
there.  That  seemed  to  annoy  Bill  more  than 
anything,  and  he  suddenly  flung  out  'is  arms,  and 
grabbing  'old  of  'im  flung  'im  right  across  the 
fo'c's'le  to  where,  fortunately  for  'im — Dodgy,  I 
mean — Tom  Baker  was  sitting. 

"Charlie  called  'Time'  again,  and  we  let  'em 
'ave  five  minutes  while  we  'elped  Tom  to  bed, 
and  then  wot  'e  called  the  '  disgusting  exhibishun ' 
was  resoomed.  Bill  'ad  dipped  'is  face  in  a  bucket 
and  'ad  rubbed  'is  great  arms  all  over  and  was  as 
fresh  as  a  daisy.  Dodgy  looked  a  bit  tottery, 
but  'e  was  game  all  through  and  very  careful, 
and,  try  as  Bill  might,  he  didn't  seem  to  be  able 
to  get  'old  of 'im  agin. 

"  In  five  minutes  more,  though,  it  was  all  over, 
Dodgy  not  being  able  to  see  plain — except  to  get 
out  o'  Bill's  way — and  hitting  wild.  He  seemed 
to  think  the  whole  fo'c's'le  was  full  o'  Bills  sitting 
on  a  locker  and  waiting  to  be  punched,  and  the 
end  of  it  was  a  knock-out  blow  from  the  real  Bill 
which  left  'im  on  the  floor  without  a  soul  offering 
to  pick  'im  up. 

'  Bill  'elped  'im  up  at  last  and  shook  hands  with 
'im,  and  they  rinsed  their  faces  in  the  same  bucket, 
and  began  to  praise  each  other  up.  They  sat  there 
purring  like  a  couple  o'  cats,  until  at  last  we  'eard  a 
smothered  voice  coming  from  Joe  Simms's  bunk, 


THE  BULLY  OF  THE  "CAVENDISH"    113 

"  '  Is  it  all  over  ? '  he  asks. 

"  '  Yes/  ses  somebody. 

" '  How  is  Bill  ? '  ses  Joe's  voice  again. 

"  '  Look  for  yourself,'  ses  Tom. 

"  Joe  sat  up  in  'is  bunk  then  and  looked  out, 
and  he  no  sooner  saw  Bill's  face  than  he  gave  a 
loud  cry  and  fell  back  agin,  and,  as  true  as  I  'm 
sitting  here,  fainted  clean  away.  We  was  struck 
all  of  a  'eap,  and  then  Bill  picked  up  the  bucket 
and  threw  some  water  over  'im,  and  by  and  by  he 
comes  round  agin  and  in  a  dazed  sort  o'  way  puts 
his  arm  round  Bill's  neck  and  begins  to  cry. 

" '  Mighty  Moses  ! '  ses  Dodgy  Pete,  jumping  up, 
'it's  a  woman !' 
"  '  It 's  my  wife  ! '  ses  Bill. 

"We  understood  it  all  then, leastways  the  married 
ones  among  us  did.  She  'd  shipped  aboard  partly 
to  be  with  Bill  and  partly  to  keep  an  eye  on  'im, 
and  Tom  Baker's  mistake  about  a  prize-fighter 
had  just  suited  'er  book  better  than  anything. 
How  Bill  was  to  get  'er  home  'e  couldn't  think, 
but  it  'appened  the  second  officer  had  been  peep- 
ing down  the  fo'c's'le,  waiting  for  ever  so  long  for 
a  suitable  opportunity  to  stop  the  fight,  and  the 
old  man  was  so  tickled  about  the  way  we  'd  all 
been  done  'e  gave  'er  a  passage  back  as  stewardess 
to  look  arter  the  ship's  cat" 


H 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF 
MR.  WIGGETT 

MR.  SOL  KETCHMAID,  landlord  of  the 
"  Ship,"  sat  in  his  snug  bar,  rising  occa- 
sionally from  his  seat  by  the  taps  to  minister 
to  the  wants  of  the  customers  who  shared  this 
pleasant  retreat  with  him. 

Forty  years  at  sea  before  the  mast  had  made 
Mr.  Ketchmaid  an  authority  on  affairs  maritime  ; 
five  years  in  command  of  the  Ship  Inn,  with  the 
nearest  other  licensed  house  five  miles  off,  had 
made  him  an  autocrat. 

From  his  cushioned  Windsor-chair  he  listened 
pompously  to  the  conversation.  Sometimes  he 
joined  in  and  took  sides,  and  on  these  occasions 
it  was  a  foregone  conclusion  that  the  side  he 
espoused  would  win.  No  matter  how  reasonable 
the  opponent's  argument  or  how  gross  his  per- 
sonalities, Mr.  Ketchmaid,  in  his  capacity  of 
host,  had  one  unfailing  rejoinder — the  man  was 
drunk.  When  Mr.  Ketchmaid  had  pronounced 
that    opinion    the    argument    was    at    an    end. 

114 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     115 

A  nervousness  about  his  licence — conspicuous 
at  other  times  by  its  absence — would  suddenly 
possess  him,  and,  opening  the  little  wicket  which 
gave  admission  to  the  bar,  he  would  order  the 
offender  in  scathing  terms  to  withdraw. 

Twice  recently  had  he  found  occasion  to  warn 
Mr.  Ned  Clark,  the  village  shoemaker,  the 
strength  of  whose  head  had  been  a  boast  in 
the  village  for  many  years.  On  the  third  occa- 
sion the  indignant  shoemaker  was  interrupted 
in  the  middle  of  an  impassioned  harangue  on 
free  speech  and  bundled  into  the  road  by  the 
ostler.     After  this  nobody  was  safe. 

To-night  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  meeting  his  eye  as 
he  entered  the  bar,  nodded  curtly.  The  shoe- 
maker had  stayed  away  three  days  as  a  protest, 
and  the  landlord  was  naturally  indignant  at  such 
contumacy. 

"Good  evening,  Mr.  Ketchmaid,"  said  the  shoe- 
maker, screwing  up  his  little  black  eyes  ;  "just  give 
me  a  small  bottle  o'  lemonade,  if  you  please." 

Mr.  Clark's  cronies  laughed,  and  Mr.  Ketch- 
maid, after  glancing  at  him  to  make  sure  that  he 
was  in  earnest,  served  him  in  silence. 

"There's  one  thing  about  lemonade,"  said  the 
shoemaker,  as  he  sipped  it  gingerly ;  "  nobody 
could  say  you  was  drunk,  not  if  you  drank 
bucketsful  of  it" 


n6  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

There  was  an  awkward  silence,  broken  at  last 
by  Mr.  Clark  smacking  his  lips. 

"  Any  news  since  I  've  been  away,  chaps?"  he 
inquired;  "or  'ave  you  just  been  sitting  round 
as  usual  listening  to  the  extra-ordinary  adven- 
tures what  happened  to  Mr.  Ketchmaid  whilst 
a-follering  of  the  sea  ? " 

"Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction,  Ned,"  said 
Mr.  Peter  Smith,  the  tailor,  reprovingly. 

The  shoemaker  assented.  "But  I  never  thought 
so  till  I  heard  some  o'  the  things  Mr.  Ketchmaid 
'as  been  through,"  he  remarked. 

"Well,  you  know  now,"  said  the  landlord, 
shortly. 

"  And  the  truthfullest  of  your  yarns  are  the 
most  wonderful  of  the  lot,  to  my  mind,"  said 
Mr.  Clark. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  the  truthfullest?" 
demanded  the  landlord,  gripping  the  arms  of  his 
chair. 

"Why,  the  strangest,"  grinned  the  shoemaker. 

"Ah,  he's  been  through  a  lot,  Mr.  Ketchmaid 
has,"  said  the  tailor. 

"The  truthfullest  one  to  my  mind,"  said  the 
shoemaker,  regarding  the  landlord  with  spiteful 
interest,  "  is  that  one  where  Henry  Wiggett, 
the  boatswain's  mate,  'ad  his  leg  bit  off  saving 
Mr.  Ketchmaid  from  the  shark,  and  'is  shipmate 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     n; 

Sam  Jones,  the  nigger  cook,  was  wounded  saving 
'im  from  the  South  Sea  Highlanders." 

"  I  never  get  tired  o'  hearing  that  yarn,"  said 
the  affable  Mr.  Smith. 

"  I  do,"  said  Mr.  Clark. 

Mr.  Ketchmaid  looked  up  from  his  pipe  and 
eyed  him  darkly;  the  shoemaker  smiled  serenely. 

"Another  small  bottle  o'  lemonade,  landlord," 
he  said,  slowly. 

"  Go  and  get  your  lemonade  somewhere  else," 
said  the  bursting  Mr.  Ketchmaid. 

"  I  prefer  to  'ave  it  here,"  rejoined  the  shoe- 
maker, "  and  you  've  got  to  serve  me,  Ketchmaid. 
A  licensed  publican  is  compelled  to  serve  people 
whether  he  likes  to  or  not,  else  he  loses  of  'is 
licence." 

"  Not  when  they  're  the  worse  for  licker  he 
ain't,"  said  the  landlord. 

"Certainly  not,"  said  the  shoemaker;  "that's 
why  I  'm  sticking  to  lemonade,  Ketchmaid." 

The  indignant  Mr.  Ketchmaid  removing  the 
wire  from  the  cork  discharged  the  missile  at  the 
ceiling.  The  shoemaker  took  the  glass  from  him 
and  looked  round  with  offensive  slyness. 

"  Here 's  the  'ealth  of  Henry  Wiggett  what 
tost  'is  leg  to  save  Mr.  Ketchmaid's  life,"  he  said, 
unctuously.  "  Also  the  'ealth  of  Sam  Jones,  who 
let  hisself  be  speared  through  the  chest  for  the 


nS  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

same  noble  purpose.  Likewise  the  'ealth  of 
Captain  Peters,  who  nursed  Mr.  Ketchmaid  like 
'is  own  son  when  he  got  knocked  up  doing  the 
work  of  five  men  as  was  drownded  ;  likewise  the 
'ealth  o'  Dick  Lee,  who  helped  Mr.  Ketchmaid 
capture  a  Chinese  junk  full  of  pirates  and  killed 

the  whole  seventeen  of  'em  by 'Ow  did  you 

say  you  killed  'em,  Ketchmaid?" 

The  landlord,  who  was  busy  with  the  taps, 
affected  not  to  hear. 

"  Killed  the  whole  seventeen  of  'em  by  first 
telling  'em  yarns  till  they  fell  asleep  and  then 
choking  'em  with  Henry  Wiggett's  wooden  leg," 
resumed  the  shoemaker. 

"Kee — hee,"  said  a  hapless  listener,  explosively. 
"  Kee— hee— kee— " 

He  checked  himself  suddenly,  and  assumed 
an  air  of  great  solemnity  as  the  landlord  looked 
his  way. 

"You'd  better  go  'ome,  Jem  Summers,"  said 
the  fuming  Mr.  Ketchmaid.  "  You  're  the  worse 
for  licker." 

"  I  'm  not,"  said  Mr.  Summers,  stoutly. 

"Out  you  go,"  said  Mr. Ketchmaid, briefly.  "You 
know  my  rules.  I  keep  a  respectable  house,  and 
them  as  can't  drink  in  moderation  are  best  outside." 

"  You  should  stick  to  lemonade,  Jem,"  said 
Mr.  Clark.     "  You  can  say  what  you  like  then." 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     119 

Mr.  Summers  looked  round  for  support,  and 
then,  seeing  no  pity  in  the  landlord's  eye, 
departed,  wondering  inwardly  how  he  was  to 
spend  the  remainder  of  the  evening.  The  com- 
pany in  the  bar  gazed  at  each  other  soberly 
and  exchanged  whispers. 

"Understand,  Ned  Clark,"  said  the  indignant 
Mr.  Ketchmaid,  "  I  don't  want  your  money  in 
this  public-house.     Take  it  somewhere  else." 

"  Thank'ee,  but  I  prefer  to  come  here,"  said  the 
shoemaker,  ostentatiously  sipping  his  lemonade. 
"  I  like  to  listen  to  your  tales  of  the  sea.  In 
a  quiet  way  I  get  a  lot  of  amusement  out 
of 'em." 

"  Do  you  disbelieve  my  word  ?  "  demanded  Mr. 
Ketchmaid,  hotly. 

"Why  o'  course  I  do,"  replied  the  shoemaker; 
"we  all  do.  You'd  see  how  silly  they  are 
yourself  if  you  only  stopped  to  think.  You  and 
your  sharks ! — no  shark  would  want  to  eat  you 
unless  it  was  blind." 

Mr.  Ketchmaid  allowed  this  gross  reflection 
on  his  personal  appearance  to  pass  unnoticed, 
and  for  the  first  time  of  many  evenings  sat 
listening  in  torment  as  the  shoemaker  began 
the  narration  of  a  series  of  events  which  he 
claimed  had  happened  to  a  seafaring  nephew. 
Many  of  these  bore  a   striking  resemblance  to 


120  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Ketchmaid's  own  experiences,  the  only 
difference  being  that  the  nephew  had  no  eye  at 
all  for  the  probabilities. 

In  this  fell  work  Mr.  Clark  was  ably  assisted 
by  the  offended  Mr.  Summers.  Side  by  side 
they  sat  and  quaffed  lemonade,  and  burlesqued 
the  landlord's  autobiography,  the  only  consola- 
tion afforded  to  Mr.  Ketchmaid  consisting  in  the 
reflection  that  they  were  losing  a  harmless 
pleasure  in  good  liquor.  Once,  and  once  only, 
they  succumbed  to  the  superior  attractions  of 
alcohol,  and  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  returning  from  a  visit 
to  his  brewer  at  the  large  seaport  of  Burnsea, 
heard  from  the  ostler  the  details  of  a  carouse 
with  which  he  had  been  utterly  unable  to  cope. 

The  couple  returned  to  lemonade  the  following 
night,  and  remained  faithful  to  that  beverage 
until  an  event  transpired  which  rendered  further 
self-denial  a  mere  foolishness. 

It  was  about  a  week  later  ;  Mr.  Ketchmaid  had 
just  resumed  his  seat  after  serving  a  customer, 
when  the  attention  of  all  present  was  attracted 
by  an  odd  and  regular  tapping  on  the  brick- 
paved  passage  outside.  It  stopped  at  the  tap- 
room, and  a  murmur  of  voices  escaped  at  the 
open  door.  Then  the  door  was  closed,  and  a 
loud  penetrating  voice  called  on  the  name  of  Sol 
Ketchmaid. 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     121 

"  Good  heavens ! "  said  the  amazed  landlord, 
half  rising  from  his  seat  and  falling  back  again, 
"  I  ought  to  know  that  voice." 

"  Sol  Ketchmaid,"  bellowed  the  voice  again ; 
"  where  are  you,  shipmate  ?  " 

"  Hennery  Wig-gett!"  gasped  the  landlord,  as  a 
small  man  with  ragged  whiskers  appeared  at  the 
wicket,  "  it  can't  be  !  " 

The  new-comer  regarded  him  tenderly  for  a 
moment  without  a  word,  and  then,  kicking  open 
the  door  with  an  unmistakable  wooden  leg, 
stumped  into  the  bar,  and  grasping  his  out- 
stretched hand  shook  it  fervently. 

"  I  met  Cap'n  Peters  in  Melbourne,"  said  the 
stranger,  as  his  friend  pushed  him  into  his  own 
chair,  and  questioned  him  breathlessly.  "  He 
told  me  where  you  was." 

"The  sight  o'  you,  Hennery  Wiggett,  is  better 
to  me  than  diamonds,"  said  Mr.  Ketchmaid, 
ecstatically.     "  How  did  you  get  here?  " 

"  A  friend  of  his,  Cap'n  Jones,  of  the  barque 
Venus,  gave  me  a  passage  to  London,"  said  Mr. 
Wiggett,  "  and  I  've  tramped  down  from  there 
without  a  penny  in  my  pocket." 

"  And  Sol  Ketchmaid  's  glad  to  see  you,  sir," 
said  Mr.  Smith,  who,  with  the  rest  of  the  com- 
pany, had  been  looking  on  in  a  state  of  great 
admiration.     "  He 's  never  tired  of  telling  us  'ow 


122  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

you  saved  him  from  the  shark  and  'ad  your  leg 
bit  off  in  so  doing." 

"  I  'd  'ave  my  other  bit  off  for  'im,  too,"  said 
Mr.  Wiggett,  as  the  landlord  patted  him  affec- 
tionately on  the  shoulder  and  thrust  a  glass 
of  spirits  into  his  hands.  "  Cheerful,  I  would. 
The  kindest-'earted  and  the  bravest  man  that 
ever  breathed,  is  old  Sol  Ketchmaid." 

He  took  the  landlord's  hand  again,  and, 
squeezing  it  affectionately,  looked  round  the 
comfortable  bar  with  much  approval.  They 
began  to  converse  in  the  low  tones  of  con- 
fidence, and  names  which  had  figured  in  many 
of  the  landlord's  stories  fell  continuously  on  the 
listeners'  ears. 

"  You  never  'eard  anything  more  o'  pore  Sam 
Jones,  I  s'pose?"  said  Mr.  Ketchmaid. 

Mr.  Wiggett  put  down  his  glass. 

"  I  ran  up  agin  a  man  in  Rio  Janeiro  two 
years  ago,"  he  said,  mournfully.  "  Pore  old  Sam 
died  in  'is  arras  with  your  name  upon  'is  honest 
black  lips." 

"Enough  to  kill  any  man,"  muttered  the  dis- 
comfited Mr.  Clark,  looking  round  defiantly  upon 
his  murmuring  friends. 

"Who  is  this  putty-faced  swab,  Sol?"  demanded 
Mr.  Wiggett,  turning  a  fierce  glance  in  the  shoe- 
maker's direction. 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     123 

"He's  our  cobbler,"  said  the  landlord,  "but 
you  don't  want  to  take  no  notice  of  'im.  Nobody 
else  does.  He 's  a  man  who  as  good  as  told  me 
I  'm  a  liar." 

"  Wot !  "  said  Mr.  Wiggett,  rising  and  stumping 
across  the  bar ;  "  take  it  back,  mate.  I  've  only 
got  one  leg,  but  nobody  shall  run  down  Sol  while 
I  can  draw  breath.  The  finest  sailor-man  that 
ever  trod  a  deck  is  Sol,  and  the  best-'earted." 

"  Hear,  hear,"  said  Mr.  Smith ;  "  own  up  as 
you  're  in  the  wrong,  Ned." 

"  When  I  was  laying  in  my  bunk  in  the  fo'c's'le 
being  nursed  back  to  life,"  continued  Mr.  Wiggett, 
enthusiastically,  "  who  was  it  that  set  by  my  side 
'olding  my  'and  and  telling  me  to  live  for  his 
sake? — why,  Sol  Ketchmaid.  Who  was  it  that 
said  that  he  'd  stick  to  me  for  life  ?— why,  Sol 
Ketchmaid.  Who  was  it  said  that  so  long  as  'e 
'ad  a  crust  I  should  have  first  bite  at  it,  and  so 
long  as  'e  'ad  a  bed  I  should  'ave  first  half  of  it  ? — 
why,  Sol  Ketchmaid  ! " 

He  paused  to  take  breath,  and  a  flattering 
murmur  arose  from  his  listeners,  while  the  subject 
of  his  discourse  looked  at  him  as  though  his 
eloquence  was  in  something  of  the  nature  of  a 
surprise  even  to  him. 

"  In  my  old  age  and  on  my  beam-ends,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Wiggett,  "  I  remembered  them  words 


I24  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

of  old  Sol,  and  I  knew  if  I  could  only  find  'im 
my  troubles  were  over.  I  knew  that  I  could 
creep  into  'is  little  harbour  and  lay  snug.  I 
knew  that  what  Sol  said  he  meant.  I  lost  my 
leg  saving  'is  life,  and  he  is  grateful." 

"  So  he  ought  to  be,"  said  Mr.  Clark,  "  and  I  'm 
proud  to  shake  'ands  with  a  hero." 

He  gripped  Mr.  Wiggett's  hand,  and  the  others 
followed  suit.  The  wooden-legged  man  wound 
up  with  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  and,  disdaining  to  notice 
that  that  veracious  mariner's  grasp  was  somewhat 
limp,  sank  into  his  chair  again,  and  asked  for  a 
cigar. 

"  Lend  me  the  box,  Sol,"  he  said,  jovially,  as 
he  took  it  from  him.  "  I  'm  going  to  'and  'em 
round.  This  is  my  treat,  mates.  Pore  old  Henry 
Wiggett's  treat." 

He  passed  the  box  round,  Mr.  Ketchmaid 
watching  in  helpless  indignation  as  the  customers, 
discarding  their  pipes,  thanked  Mr.  Wiggett 
warmly,  and  helped  themselves  to  a  threepenny 
cigar  apiece.  Mr.  Clark  was  so  particular  that 
he  spoilt  at  least  two  by  undue  pinching  before 
he  could  find  one  to  his  satisfaction. 

Closing  time  came  all  too  soon,  Mr.  Wiggett, 
whose  popularity  was  never  for  a  moment  in 
doubt,  developing  gifts  to  which  his  friend  had 
never   even  alluded.     He  sang  comic  songs   in 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     125 

a  voice  which  made  the  glasses  rattle  on  the 
shelves,  asked  some  really  clever  riddles,  and 
wound  up  with  a  conjuring  trick  which  consisted 
in  borrowing  half  a  crown  from  Mr.  Ketchmaid 
and  making  it  pass  into  the  pocket  of  Mr.  Peter 
Smith.  This  last  was  perhaps  not  quite  so  satis- 
factory, as  the  utmost  efforts  of  the  tailor  failed 
to  discover  the  coin,  and  he  went  home  under  a 
cloud  of  suspicion  which  nearly  drove  him  frantic. 

"  I  'ope  you  're  satisfied,"  said  Mr.  Wiggett,  as 
the  landlord,  having  shot  the  bolts  of  the  front 
door,  returned  to  the  bar. 

"  You  went  a  bit  too  far,"  said  Mr.  Ketchmaid, 
shortly  ;  "  you  should  ha'  been  content  with  doing 
what  I  told  you  to  do.  And  who  asked  you  to 
'and  my  cigars  round  ?  " 

"  I  got  a  bit  excited,"  pleaded  the  other. 

"  And  you  forgot  to  tell  'em  you  're  going  to 
start  to-morrow  to  live  with  that  niece  of  yours 
in  New  Zealand,"  added  the  landlord. 

"  So  I  did,"  said  Mr.  Wiggett,  smiting  his  fore- 
head ;  "  so  I  did.  I  'm  very  sorry ;  I  '11  tell  'em 
to-morrow  night." 

"  Mention  it  casual  like,  to-morrow  morning," 
commanded  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  "  and  get  off  in  the 
arternoon,  then  I  '11  give  you  some  dinner  besides 
the  five  shillings  as  arranged." 

Mr.  Wiggett  thanked  him  warmly,  and,  taking 


126  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

a  candle,  withdrew  to  the  unwonted  luxury  of 
clean  sheets  and  a  soft  bed.  For  some  time  he 
lay  awake  in  deep  thought  and  then,  smothering 
a  laugh  with  the  bed-clothes,  he  gave  a  sigh  of 
content  and  fell  asleep. 

To  the  landlord's  great  annoyance  his  guest 
went  for  a  walk  next  morning  and  did  not  return 
until  the  evening,  when  he  explained  that  he 
had  walked  too  far  for  his  crippled  condition 
and  was  unable  to  get  back.  Much  sympathy 
was  manifested  for  him  in  the  bar,  but  in  all  the 
conversation  that  ensued  Mr.  Ketchmaid  listened 
in  vain  for  any  hint  of  his  departure.  Signals 
were  of  no  use,  Mr.  Wiggett  merely  nodding 
amiably  and  raising  his  glass  in  response ;  and 
when,  by  considerable  strategy,  he  brought  the 
conversation  from  pig  -  killing  to  nieces,  Mr. 
Wiggett  deftly  transferred  it  to  uncles  and 
discoursed  on  pawnbroking. 

The  helpless  Mr.  Ketchmaid  suffered  in  silence, 
with  his  eye  on  the  clock,  and  almost  danced 
with  impatience  at  the  tardiness  of  his  departing 
guests.  He  accompanied  the  last  man  to  the 
door,  and  then,  crimson  with  rage,  returned  to 
the  bar  to  talk  to  Mr.  Wiggett. 

"Wot  d'y'r  mean  by  it?"  he  thundered. 
"Mean  by  what,  Sol?"  inquired  Mr.  Wiggett, 
looking  up  in  surprise. 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     127 

"  Don't  you  call  me  Sol,  'cos  I  won't  have  it," 
vociferated  the  landlord,  standing  over  him 
with  his  fist  clenched.  "  First  thing  to-morrow 
morning  off  you  go." 

"  Off?"  repeated  the  other  in  amazement.  "Off? 
Where  to  ?  " 

"  Anywhere,"  said  the  overwrought  landlord ; 
"  so  long  as  you  get  out  of  here,  I  don't  care 
where  you  go." 

Mr.  Wiggett,  who  was  smoking  a  cigar,  the 
third  that  evening,  laid  it  carefully  on  the  table 
by  his  side,  and  regarded  him  with  tender  re- 
proach. 

"You  ain't  yourself,  Sol,"  he  said,  with  con- 
viction ;  "  don't  say  another  word  else  you  might 
say  things  you  '11  be  sorry  for." 

His  forebodings  were  more  than  justified,  Mr. 
Ketchmaid  indulging  in  a  few  remarks  about 
his  birth,  parentage,  and  character  which  would 
have  shocked  an  East-end  policeman. 

"  First  thing  to-morrow  morning  you  go,"  he 
concluded,  fiercely.  "  I  've  a  good  mind  to  turn 
you  out  now.  You  know  the  arrangement  I 
made  with  you." 

"Arrangement!"  said  the  mystified  Mr.  Wig- 
gett ;  "  what  arrangement  ?  Why,  I  ain't  seen 
you  for  ten  years  and  more.  If  it  'adn't  been 
for  meeting  Cap'n  Peters " 


128  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

He  was  interrupted  by  frenzied  and  incoherent 
exclamations  from  Mr.  Ketchmaid. 

"  Sol  Ketchmaid,"  he  said,  with  dignity,  "  I 
'ope  you're  drunk.  I  'ope  it's  the  drink  and 
not  Sol  Ketchmaid,  wot  I  saved  from  the  shark 
by  aving  my  leg  bit  off,  talking.  I  saved  your 
life,  Sol,  an'  I  'ave  come  into  your  little  harbour 
and  let  go  my  little  anchor  to  stay  there  till  I 
go  aloft  to  join  poor  Sam  Jones  wot  died  with 
your  name  on  'is  lips." 

He  sprang  suddenly  erect  as  Mr.  Ketchmaid, 
with  a  loud  cry,  snatched  up  a  bottle  and  made 
as  though  to  brain  him  with  it. 

"You  rascal,"  said  the  landlord,  in  a  stifled 
voice.  "You  infernal  rascal.  I  never  set  eyes 
on  you  till  I  saw  you  the  other  day  on  the  quay 
at  Burnsea,  and,  just  for  an  innercent  little  joke 
like  with  Ned  Clark,  asked  you  to  come  in  and 
pretend." 

"  Pretend  !  "  repeated  Mr.  Wiggett,  in  a  horror- 
stricken  voice.  "  Pretend  !  Have  you  forgotten 
me  pushing  you  out  of  the  way  and  saying,  '  Save 
yourself,  Sol,'  as  the  shark's  jaw  clashed  together 
over  my  leg  ?     Have  you  forgotten  'ow ?  " 

"Look  'ere,"  said  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  thrusting  an 
infuriated  face  close  to  his,  "there  never  was  a 
Henery  Wiggett ;  there  never  was  a  shark  ;  there 
never  was  a  Sam  Jones  !  " 


HE    WIPED    III-    EYI  S    TO    I  III'.    MEMORY   OF    Till      i      ITHFU1     BLACK 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     129 

"  Never — was — a — Sam  Jones  !  "  said  the  dazed 
Mr.  Wiggett,  sinking  into  his  chair.  "  Ain't  you 
got  a  spark  o'  proper  feeling  left,  Sol  ?  " 

He  fumbled  in  his  pocket,  and  producing  the 
remains  of  a  dirty  handkerchief  wiped  his  eyes 
to  the  memory  of  the  faithful  black. 

"  Look  here,"  said  Mr.  Ketchmaid,  putting 
down  the  bottle  and  regarding  him  intently, 
"you've  got  me  fair.  Now,  will  you  go  for  a 
pound  ?  " 

"  Got  you  ?  "  said  Mr.  Wiggett,  severely  ;  "  I  'm 
ashamed  of  you,  Sol.  Go  to  bed  and  sleep  off 
the  drink,  and  in  the  morning  you  can  take 
Henry  Wiggett's  'and,  but  not  before." 

He  took  a  box  of  matches  from  the  bar  and, 
relighting  the  stump  of  his  cigar,  contemplated 
Mr.  Ketchmaid  for  some  time  in  silence,  and 
then,  with  a  serious  shake  of  his  head,  stumped 
off  to  bed.  Mr.  Ketchmaid  remained  below,  and 
for  at  least  an  hour  sat  thinking  of  ways  and 
means  out  of  the  dilemma  into  which  his 
ingenuity  had  led  him. 

He  went  to  bed  with  the  puzzle  still  unsolved, 
and  the  morning  yielded  no  solution.  Mr.  Wig- 
gett appeared  to  have  forgotten  the  previous 
night's  proceedings  altogether,  and  steadfastly 
declined  to  take  umbrage  at  a  manner  which 
would  have  chilled  a  rhinoceros.  He  told 
I 


130  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

several  fresh  anecdotes  of  himself  and  Sam  Jones 
that  evening  ;  anecdotes  which,  at  the  imminent 
risk  of  choking,  Mr.  Ketchmaid  was  obliged  to 
indorse. 

A  week  passed,  and  Mr.  Wiggett  still  graced 
with  his  presence  the  bar  of  the  "  Ship."  The 
landlord  lost  flesh,  and  began  seriously  to  con- 
sider the  advisability  of  making  a  clean  breast 
of  the  whole  affair.  Mr.  Wiggett  watched  him 
anxiously,  and  with  a  skill  born  of  a  life-long 
study  of  humanity,  realised  that  his  visit  was 
drawing  to  an  end.  At  last,  one  day,  Mr.  Ketch- 
maid  put  the  matter  bluntly. 

"  I  shall  tell  the  chaps  to-night  that  it  was  a 
little  joke  on  my  part,"  he  announced,  with  grim 
decision  ;  "  then  I  shall  take  you  by  the  collar 
and  kick  you  into  the  road." 

Mr.  Wiggett  sighed  and  shook  his  head. 

"It'll  be  a  terrible  show-up  for  you,"  he  said, 
softly.  "  You  'd  better  make  it  worth  my  while, 
and  I  '11  tell  'em  this  evening  that  I  'm  going  to 
New  Zealand  to  live  with  a  niece  of  mine  there, 
and  that  you  've  paid  my  passage  for  me.  I 
don't  like  telling  any  more  lies,  but,  seeing  it's 
for  you,  I  '11  do  it  for  a  couple  of  pounds." 

"Five  shillings,"  snarled  Mr.  Ketchmaid. 

Mr.  Wiggett  smiled  comfortably  and  shook 
his  head.      Mr.  Ketchmaid  raised   his  offer   to 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     131 

ten  shillings,  to  a  pound,  and  finally,  after  a  few 
remarks  which  prompted  Mr.  Wiggett  to  state 
that  hard  words  broke  no  bones,  flung  into  the 
bar  and  fetched  the  money. 

The  news  of  Mr.  Wiggett's  departure  went 
round  the  village  at  once,  the  landlord  himself 
breaking  the  news  to  the  next  customer,  and  an 
overflow  meeting  assembled  that  evening  to  bid 
the  emigrant  farewell. 

The  landlord  noted  with  pleasure  that  busi- 
ness was  brisk.  Several  gentlemen  stood  drink 
to  Mr.  Wiggett,  and  in  return  he  put  his  hand 
in  his  own  pocket  and  ordered  glasses  round. 
Mr.  Ketchmaid,  in  a  state  of  some  uneasiness, 
took  the  order,  and  then  Mr.  Wiggett,  with  the 
air  of  one  conferring  inestimable  benefits,  pro- 
duced a  lucky  halfpenny,  which  had  once  be- 
longed to  Sam  Jones,  and  insisted  upon  his 
keeping  it. 

"This  is  my  last  night,  mates,"  he  said,  mourn- 
fully, as  he  acknowledged  the  drinking  of  his 
health.  "  In  many  ports  I  've  been,  and  many 
snug  pubs  I  'ave  visited,  but  I  never  in  all  my 
days  come  across  a  nicer,  kinder-'earted  lot  o' 
men  than  wot  you  are." 

"  Hear,  hear,"  said  Mr.  Clark. 

Mr.  Wiggett  paused,  and,  taking  a  sip  from 
his  glass  to  hide  his  emotion,  resumed. 


132  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"In  my  lonely  pilgrimage  through  life,  crippled, 
and  'aving  to  beg  my  bread,"  he  said,  tearfully, 
"  I  shall  think  o'  this  'appy  bar  and  these  friendly 
faces.  When  I  am  wrestlin*  with  the  pangs  of 
'unger  and  being  moved  on  by  the  'eartless 
police,  I  shall  think  of  you  as  I  last  saw  you." 

"But,"  said  Mr.  Smith,  voicing  the  general 
consternation,  "  you  're  going  to  your  niece  in 
New  Zealand?  " 

Mr.  Wiggett  shook  his  head  and  smiled  a  sad, 
sweet  smile. 

"  I  'ave  no  niece,"  he  said,  simply ;  "  I  'm  alone 
in  the  world." 

At  these  touching  words  his  audience  put 
their  glasses  down  and  stared  in  amaze  at  Mr. 
Ketchmaid,  while  that  gentleman  in  his  turn 
gazed  at  Mr.  Wiggett  as  though  he  had  suddenly 
developed  horns  and  a  tail. 

"Ketchmaid  told  me  hisself  as  he'd  paid  your 
passage  to  New  Zealand,"  said  the  shoemaker ; 
"  he  said  as  'e  'd  pressed  you  to  stay,  but  that  you 
said  as  blood  was  thicker  even  than  friendship." 

"  All  lies,"  said  Mr.  Wiggett,  sadly.  "  I  '11  stay 
with  pleasure  if  he  '11  give  the  word.  I  '11  stay 
even  now  if  'e  wishes  it." 

He  paused  a  moment  as  though  to  give  his 
bewildered  victim  time  to  accept  this  offer,  and 
then  addressed  the  scandalised  Mr.  Clark  again. 


RESURRECTION  OF  MR.  WIGGETT     133 

"  He  don't  like  my  being  'ere,"  he  said,  in  a 
low  voice.  "  He  grudges  the  little  bit  I  eat,  I 
s'pose.  He  told  me  I  'd  got  to  go,  and  that  for 
the  look  o'  things  'e  was  going  to  pretend  I  was 
going  to  New  Zealand.  I  was  too  broken-'earted 
at  the  time  to  care  wot  he  said — I  'ave  no  wish 
to  sponge  on  no  man — but,  seeing  your  'onest 
faces  round  me,  I  couldn't  go  with  a  lie  on  my 
lips — Sol  Ketchmaid,  old  shipmate — good-bye." 

He  turned  to  the  speechless  landlord,  made 
as  though  to  shake  hands  with  him,  thought 
better  of  it,  and  then,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand 
full  of  chastened  dignity,  withdrew.  His  stump 
rang  with  pathetic  insistence  upon  the  brick- 
paved  passage,  paused  at  the  door,  and  then, 
tapping  on  the  hard  road,  died  slowly  away  in 
the  distance.  Inside  the  "Ship"  the  shoemaker 
gave  an  ominous  order  for  lemonade, 


A  MARKED  MAN 

TATTOOING  is  a  gift,"  said  the  night- 
watchman,  firmly.  "  It  'as  to  be  a  gift,  as 
you  can  well  see.  A  man  'as  to  know  wot  'e  is 
going  to  tattoo  an'  'ow  to  do  it;  there's  no 
rubbing  out  or  altering.  It's  a  gift,  an' it  can't 
be  learnt.  I  knew  a  man  once  as  used  to  tattoo 
a  cabin-boy  all  over  every  v'y'ge  trying  to  learn. 
'E  was  a  slow,  painstaking  sort  o'  man,  and  the 
langwidge  those  boys  used  to  use  while  'e  was  at 
work  would  'ardly  be  believed,  but  'e  'ad  to  give 
up  trying  arter  about  fifteen  years  and  take  to 
crochet-work  instead. 

"  Some  men  won't  be  tattooed  at  all,  being 
proud  o'  their  skins  or  sich-like,  and  for  a  good 
many  years  Ginger  Dick,  a  man  I  've  spoke  to 
you  of  before,  was  one  o'  that  sort  Like  many 
red-'aired  men  'e  'ad  a  very  white  skin,  which  'e 
was  very  proud  of,  but  at  last,  owing  to  a 
unfortnit  idea  o'  making  'is  fortin,  'e  let  hisself  be 
done. 

"  It  come  about  in  this  way  :  Him  and  old  Sam 

1M 


A    MARKED    MAN  135 

Small  and  Peter  Russet  'ad  been  paid  off  from 
their  ship  and  was  'aving  a  very  'appy,  pleasant 
time  ashore.  They  was  careful  men  in  a  way, 
and  they  'ad  taken  a  room  down  East  India 
Road  way,  and  paid  up  the  rent  for  a  month.  It 
came  cheaper  than  a  lodging-'ouse,  besides  being 
a  bit  more  private  and  respectable,  a  thing  old 
Sam  was  always  very  pertickler  about. 

"  They  'ad  been  ashore  about  three  weeks  when 
one  day  old  Sam  and  Peter  went  off  alone  becos 
Ginger  said  'e  wasn't  going  with  'em.  He  said  a 
lot  more  things,  too :  'ow  'e  was  going  to  see  wot 
it  felt  like  to  be  in  bed  without  'aving  a  fat  old 
man  groaning  'is  'eart  out,  and  another  one 
knocking  on  the  mantelpiece  all  night  with 
twopence  and  wanting  to  know  why  he  wasn't 
being  served. 

"  Ginger  Dick  fell  into  a  quiet  sleep  arter 
they  'd  gone  ;  then  'e  woke  up  and  'ad  a  sip  from 
the  water-jug — he'd  'a  had  more,  only  somebody 
'ad  dropped  the  soap  in  it — and  then  dozed  off 
agin.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  'e  woke, 
and  then  'e  see  Sam  and  Peter  Russet  standing 
by  the  side  o'  the  bed  looking  at  'im. 

" '  Where  've  you  been  ? '  ses  Ginger,  stretching 
hisself  and  yawning. 

" '  Bisness,'  ses  Sam,  sitting  down  an' looking 
very  important.     'While  you've  been  laying  on 


136  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

your  back  all  day  me  an'  Peter  Russet  'as  been 
doing  a  little  'ead-work.' 

"  '  Oh  ! '  ses  Ginger.     '  Wot  with  ? ' 

Sam  coughed  and  Peter  began  to  whistle,  an' 
Ginger  he  laid  still  and  smiled  up  at  the  ceiling, 
and  began  to  feel  good-tempered  agin. 

" '  Well,  wot 's  the  bisness  ? '  he  ses,  at  last. 

Sam  looked  at  Peter,  but  Peter  shook  'is  'ead 
at  him. 

'"It's  just  a  little  bit  o'  bisness  we  'appened  to 
drop  on,'  ses  Sam,  at  last,  '  me  an'  Peter,  and  I 
think  that,  with  luck  and  management,  we  're  in 
a  fair  way  to  make  our  fortunes.  Peter,  'ere, 
ain't  given  to  looking  on  the  cheerful  side  o' 
things,  but  'e  thinks  so,  too.' 

" '  I  do,'  ses  Peter,  '  but  it  won't  be  managed 
right  if  you  go  blabbing  it  to  everybody.' 

" '  We  must  'ave  another  man  in  it,  Peter,'  ses 
Sam;  'and,  wot's  more,  'e  must  'ave  ginger- 
coloured 'air.  That  being  so,  it's  only  right  and 
proper  that  our  dear  old  pal  Ginger  should  'ave 
the  fust  offer.' 

"  It  wasn't  often  that  Sam  was  so  affeckshunate, 
and  Ginger  couldn't  make  it  out  at  all.  Ever 
since  'e'd  known  'im  the  old  man  'ad  been  full 
o'  plans  o'  making  money  without  earning  it. 
Stupid  plans  they  was,  too,  but  the  stupider 
they  was  the  more  old  Sam  liked  'em. 


AMARKEDMAN  137 

" '  Well,  wot  is  it  ? '  asks  Ginger,  agin. 

"  Old  Sam  walked  over  to  the  door  and  shut 
it ;  then  'e  sat  down  on  the  bed  and  spoke  low  so 
that  Ginger  could  hardly  'ear  'im. 

"  '  A  little  public-'ouse,'  he  ses,  'to  say  nothing 
of'ouse  property,  and  a  red-'aired  old  landlady 
wot's  a  widder.  As  nice  a  old  lady  as  any  one 
could  wish  for,  for  a  mother.' 

"  '  For  a  mother ! '  ses  Ginger,  staring. 

"'And  a  lovely  barmaid  with  blue  eyes  and 
yellow  'air,  wot  ud  be  the  red-'edded  man's 
cousin,'  ses  Peter  Russet. 

"  '  Look  'ere,'  ses  Ginger,  'are  you  going  to  tell 
me  in  plain  English  wot  it 's  all  about,  or  are  you 
not?' 

"  '  We  've  been  in  a  little  pub  down  Bow  way, 
me  an'  Peter,'  ses  Sam,  'and  we'll  tell  you  more 
about  it  if  you  promise  to  join  us  an'  go  shares. 
It's  kep'  by  a  widder  woman  whose  on'y  son — 
red-aired  son — went  to  sea  twenty-three  years 
ago,  at  the  age  o'  fourteen,  an'  was  never  'eard  of 
arterwards.  Seeing  we  was  sailor-men,  she  told 
us  all  about  it,  an'  'ow  she  still  'opes  for  him  to 
walk  into  'er  arms  afore  she  dies.' 

" '  She  dreamt  a  fortnit  ago  that  'e  turned  up 
safe  and  sound,  with  red  whiskers,'  ses  Peter. 

"  Ginger  Dick  sat  up  and  looked  at  'em 
without  a  word ;  then  'e  got  up  out  o'  bed,  an' 


138  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

pushing  old  Sam  out  of  the  way  began  to  dress, 
and  at  last  'e  turned  round  and  asked  Sam 
whether  he  was  drunk  or  only  mad. 

"  'All  right,'  ses  Sam  ;  ■  if  you  won't  take  it  on 
we'll  find  somebody  as  will,  that's  all;  there's 
no  call  to  get  huffy  about  it.  You  ain't  the  on'y 
red-'edded  man  in  the  world.' 

"  Ginger  didn't  answer  'im  ;  he  went  on  dress- 
ing, but  every  now  and  then  'e  'd  look  at  Sam  and 
give  a  little  larf  wot  made  Sam's  blood  boil. 

"  '  You  've  got  nothin'  to  larf  at,  Ginger,'  he  ses, 
at  last ;  '  the  landlady's  boy  'ud  be  about  the 
same  age  as  wot  you  are  now  ;  'e  'ad  a  scar  over 
the  left  eyebrow  same  as  wot  you  've  got,  though 
I  don't  suppose  he  got  it  by  fighting  a  chap  three 
times  'is  size.  'E  'ad  bright  blue  eyes,  a  small, 
well-shaped  nose,  and  a  nice  mouth.' 

" '  Same  as  you,  Ginger,'  ses  Peter,  looking  out 
of  the  winder. 

"  Ginger  coughed  and  looked  thoughtful. 

" '  It  sounds  all  right,  mates,'  'e  ses,  at  last, '  but 
I  don't  see  'ow  we're  to  go  to  work.  I  don't 
want  to  get  locked  up  for  deceiving.' 

"'You  can't  get  locked  up,'  ses  Sam;  'if  you 
let  'er  discover  you  and  claim  you,  'ow  can  you 
get  locked  up  for  it  ?  We  shall  go  in  an'  see  her 
agin,  and  larn  all  there  is  to  larn,  especially 
about  the  tattoo  marks,  and  then ' 


'WOT?'   SCREAMS   GINGER.       'TATTOO    Ml    ! 


A    MARKED    MAN  139 

11 '  Tattoo  marks  ! '  ses  Ginger. 

"'That's  the  strong  p'int,'  ses  Sam.  "Er  boy 
'ad  a  sailor  dancing  a  'ornpipe  on 'is  left  wrist,  an' 
a  couple  o'  dolphins  on  his  right.  On  'is  chest  'e 
'ad  a  full-rigged  ship,  and  on  'is  back  between  'is 
shoulder-blades  was  the  letters  of  'is  name — ■ 
C.  R.  S. :  Charles  Robert  Smith.' 

" '  Well,  you  silly  old  fool,'  ses  Ginger,  starting 
up  in  a  temper,  '  that  spiles  it  all.  I  ain't  got  a 
mark  on  me.' 

"  Old  Sam  smiles  at  'im  and  pats  him  on  the 
shoulder.  'That's  where  you  show  your  want  of 
intelleck,  Ginger,'  he  ses,  kindly.  '  Why  don't 
you  think  afore  you  speak  ?  Wot 's  easier  than 
to  'ave  'em  put  on  ? ' 

"  '  Wot ?'  screams  Ginger.  ' Tattoo  tne\  Spile 
my  skin  with  a  lot  o'  beastly  blue  marks  !  Not 
me,  not  if  I  know  it.  I  'd  like  to  see  anybody 
try  it,  that 's  all.' 

"  He  was  that  mad  'e  wouldn't  listen  to  reason, 
and,  as  old  Sam  said,  'e  couldn't  have  made  more 
fuss  if  they  'd  offered  to  skin  'im  alive,  an'  Peter 
Russet  tried  to  prove  that  a  man's  skin  was  made 
to  be  tattooed  on,  or  else  there  wouldn't  be 
tattooers  ;  same  as  a  man  'ad  been  given  two 
legs  so  as  'e  could  wear  trousers.  But  reason 
was  chucked  away  on  Ginger,  an'  'e  wouldn't 
listen  to  'em. 


140  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  They  started  on  'im  agin  next  day,  but  all 
Sam  and  Peter  could  say  didn't  move  'im, 
although  Sam  spoke  so  feeling  about  the  joy  of 
a  pore  widder  woman  getting  'er  son  back  agin 
arter  all  these  years  that  'e  nearly  cried. 

"They  went  down  agin  to  the  pub  that 
evening,  and  Ginger,  who  said  'e  was  curious  to 
see,  wanted  to  go  too.  Sam,  who  still  'ad  'opes 
of  'im,  wouldn't  'ear  of  it,  but  at  last  it  was 
arranged  that  'e  wasn't  to  go  inside,  but  should 
take  a  peep  through  the  door.  They  got  on  a 
tram  at  Aldgate,  and  Ginger  didn't  like  it  becos 
Sam  and  Peter  talked  it  over  between  theirselves 
in  whispers  and  pointed  out  likely  red-'aired  men 
in  the  road. 

"  And  'e  didn't  like  it  when  they  got  to  the 
1  Blue  Lion,'  and  Sam  and  Peter  went  in  and  left 
'im  outside,  peeping  through  the  door.  The 
landlady  shook  'ands  with  them  quite  friendly, 
and  the  barmaid,  a  fine-looking  girl,  seemed  to 
take  a  lot  o'  notice  of  Peter.  Ginger  waited 
about  outside  for  nearly  a  couple  of  hours,  and  at 
last  they  came  out,  talking  and  larfing,  with 
Peter  wearing  a  white  rose  wot  the  barmaid  'ad 
given  'im. 

"  Ginger  Dick  'ad  a  good  bit  to  say  about 
keeping  'im  waiting  all  that  time,  but  Sam  said 
that  they'd   been    getting  valuable  information, 


A    MARKED    MAN  14J 

an'  the  more  'e  could  see  of  it  the  easier  the  job 
appeared  to  be,  an'  then  him  an'  Peter  wished  for 
to  bid  Ginger  good-bye,  while  they  went  and 
'unted  up  a  red-'aired  friend  o'  Peter's  named 
Charlie  Bates. 

"They  ail  went  in  somewhere  and  'ad  a  few 
drinks  fust,  though,  and  arter  a  time  Ginger 
began  to  see  things  in  a  different  light  to  wot  'e 
'ad  before,  an'  to  be  arf  ashamed  of  'is  selfishness, 
and  'e  called  Sam's  pot  a  loving-cup,  an'  kep'  on 
drinking  out  of  it  to  show  there  was  no  ill- 
feeling,  although  Sam  kep'  telling  him  there 
wasn't.  Then  Sam  spoke  up  about  tattooing 
agin,  and  Ginger  said  that  every  man  in  the 
country  ought  to  be  tattooed  to  prevent  the 
smallpox.  He  got  so  excited  about  it  that  old 
Sam  'ad  to  promise  'im  that  he  should  be  tattooed 
that  very  night,  before  he  could  pacify  'im. 

"  They  all  went  off'ome  with  their  arms  round 
each  other's  necks,  but  arter  a  time  Ginger  found 
that  Sam's  neck  wasn't  there,  an'  'e  stopped  and 
spoke  serious  to  Peter  about  it.  Peter  said  'e 
couldn't  account  for  it,  an'  'e  had  such  a  job  to 
get  Ginger  'ome  that  'e  thought  they  would  never 
ha'  got  there.  He  got  'im  to  bed  at  last  an'  then 
'e  sat  down  and  fell  asleep  waiting  for  Sam. 

"Ginger  was  the  last  one  to  wake  up  in  the 
morning,  an'  before  'e  woke  he  kept  making  a 


142  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

moaning  noise.  His  'ead  felt  as  though  it  was 
going  to  bust,  'is  tongue  felt  like  a  brick,  and  'is 
chest  was  so  sore  'e  could  'ardly  breathe.  Then 
at  last  'e  opened  'is  eyes  and  looked  up  and  saw 
Sam  an'  Peter  and  a  little  man  with  a  black 
moustache. 

"  '  Cheer  up,  Ginger,'  ses  Sam,  in  a  kind  voice, 
'it's  going  on  beautiful.' 

"  '  My  'ead  's  splittin','  ses  Ginger,  with  a  groan, 
1  an'  I  've  got  pins  an'  needles  all  over  my  chest.' 

" '  Needles,'  ses  the  man  with  the  black  mous- 
tache.    'I  never  use  pins  ;  they  'd  pison  the  flesh.' 

"  Ginger  sat  up  in  bed  and  stared  at  'im  ;  then 
'e  bent  'is  'ead  down  and  squinted  at  'is  chest, 
and  next  moment  'e  was  out  of  bed  and  all  three 
of  'em  was  holding  'im  down  on  the  floor  to 
prevent  'im  breaking  the  tattooer's  neck  which 
'e'd  set 'is  'eart  upon  doing,  and  explaining  to'im 
that  the  tattooer  was  at  the  top  of  'is  profession, 
and  that  it  was  only  by  a  stroke  of  luck  'e  had 
got  'im.  And  Sam  reminded  'im  of  wot  'e  'ad 
said  the  night  before,  and  said  he  'd  live  to  thank 
'im  for  it. 

""Ow  much  is  there  done?'  ses  Ginger,  at 
last,  in  a  desprit  voice. 

"Sam  told  'im,  and  Ginger  lay  still  and  called 
the  tattooer  all  the  names  he  could  think  of; 
which  took  'im  some  time. 


A    MARKED    MAN  143 

"'  It's  no  good  going  on  like  that,  Ginger,'  ses 
Sam.  '  Your  chest  is  quite  spiled  at  present,  but 
if  you  on'y  let  'im  finish  it'll  be  a  perfeck  picter.' 

"  '  I  take  pride  in  it,'  ses  the  tattooer  ;  '  working 
on  your  skin,  mate,  is  like  painting  on  a  bit  o' 
silk.' 

"  Ginger  gave  in  at  last,  and  told  the  man  to 
go  on  with  the  job  and  finish  it,  and  'e  even  went 
so  far  as  to  do  a  little  bit  o'  tattooing  'imself  on 
Sam  when  he  wasn't  looking.  'E  only  made  one 
mark,  becos  the  needle  broke  off,  and  Sam  made 
such  a  fuss  that  Ginger  said  any  one  would  ha' 
thought  'e  'd  hurt  'im. 

"It  took  three  days  to  do  Ginger  altogether, 
and  he  was  that  sore  'e  could  'ardly  move  or 
breathe,  and  all  the  time  'e  was  laying  on  'is  bed 
of  pain  Sam  and  Peter  Russet  was  round  at  the 
•  Blue  Lion  '  enjoying  theirselves  and  picking  up 
information.  The  second  day  was  the  worst, 
owing  to  the  tattooer  being  the  worse  for  licker. 
Drink  affects  different  people  in  different  ways, 
and  Ginger  said  the  way  it  affected  that  chap 
was  to  make  'im  think  'e  was  sewing  buttons  on 
instead  o'  tattooing. 

"  'Owever  'e  was  done  at  last ;  his  chest  and  'is 
arms  and  'is  shoulders,  and  he  nearly  broke  down 
when  Sam  borrowed  a  bit  o'  looking-glass  and 
let  'im  see  hisself.     Then  the  tattooer  rubbed  in 


i44  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

some  stuff  to  make  'is  skin  soft  agin,  and  some 
more  stuff  to  make  the  marks  look  a  bit  old. 

"  Sam  wanted  to  draw  up  an  agreement,  but 
Ginger  Dick  and  Peter  Russet  wouldn't  'ear  of  it. 
They  both  said  that  that  sort  o'  thing  wouldn't 
look  well  in  writing,  not  if  anybody  else  happened 
to  see  it,  that  is ;  besides  which  Ginger  said  it 
was  impossible  for'im  to  say  'ow  much  money  he 
would  'ave  the  handling  of.  Once  the  tattooing 
was  done  'e  began  to  take  a'most  kindly  to  the 
plan,  an'  being  an  orfin,  so  far  as  'e  knew,  he 
almost  began  to  persuade  hisself  that  the  red- 
'aired  landlady  was  'is  mother. 

"  They  'ad  a  little  call  over  in  their  room  to  see 
'ow  Ginger  was  to  do  it,  and  to  discover  the  weak 
p'ints.  Sam  worked  up  a  squeaky  voice,  and 
pretended  to  be  the  landlady,  and  Peter  pretended 
to  be  the  good-looking  barmaid. 

"They  went  all  through  it  over  and  over  agin, 
the  only  unpleasantness  being  caused  by  Peter 
Russet  letting  off  a  screech  every  time  Ginger 
alluded  to  'is  chest  wot  set  'is  teeth  on  edge,  and 
old  Sam  as  the  landlady  offering  Ginger  pots  o' 
beer  which  made  'is  mouth  water. 

" '  We  shall  go  round  to-morrow  for  the  last 
time,'  ses  Sam,  'as  we  told  'er  we're  sailing  the 
day  arter.  Of  course  me  an'  Peter,  'aving  made 
your  fortin,  drop  out  altogether,  but  I  dessay  we 


A    MARKED    MAN  145 

shall  look  in  agin  in  about  six  months'  time,  and 
then  perhaps  the  landlady  will  interduce  us  to  you.' 

"  '  Meantime,'  ses  Peter  Russet,  '  you  mustn't 
forget  that  you've  got  to  send  us  Post  Office 
money-orders  every  week.' 

"  Ginger  said  'e  wouldn't  forget,  and  they  shook 
'ands  all  round  and  'ad  a  drink  together,  and  the 
next  arternoon  Sam  and  Peter  went  to  the  '  Blue 
Lion  '  for  a  last  visit. 

"  It  was  quite  early  when  they  came  back. 
Ginger  was  surprised  to  see  'em,  and  he  said  so, 
but  'e  was  more  surprised  when  'e  heard  their 
reasons. 

'"It  come  over  us  all  at  once  as  we'd  bin 
doing  wrong,'  Sam  ses,  setting  down  with  a  sigh. 

"  '  Come  over  us  like  a  chill,  it  did,'  ses  Peter. 

"'Doing  wrong?'  ses  Ginger  Dick,  staring. 
1  Wot  are  you  talking  about  ? ' 

"  '  Something  the  landlady  said  showed  us  as 
we  was  doin'  wrong,'  ses  old  Sam,  very  solemn ; 
'  it  come  over  us  in  a  flash.' 

"  '  Like  lightning,'  ses  Peter. 

"  '  All  of  a  sudden  we  see  wot  a  cruel,  'ard  thing 
it  was  to  go  and  try  and  deceive  a  poor  widder 
woman,'  ses  Sam,  in  a  'usky  voice  ;  '  we  both  see 
it  at  once.' 

"  Ginger  Dick  looks  at  'em  'ard,  'e  did,  and  then, 
'e  ses,  jeering  like  : — 
K 


146  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  I  s'pose  you  don't  want  any  Post  Office 
money-orders  sent  you,  then?'  he  ses. 

" '  No,'  says  Sam  and  Peter,  both  together. 

" '  You  may  have  'em  all,'  ses  Sam  ;  '  but  if 
you  '11  be  ruled  by  us,  Ginger,  you  '11  give  it  up, 
same  as  wot  we  'ave — you  '11  sleep  the  sweeter 
for  it' 

" '  Give  it  up ! '  shouts  Ginger,  dancing  up  an' 
down  the  room,  '  arter  being  tattooed  all  over? 
Why,  you  must  be  crazy,  Sam — wot's  the  matter 
with  you  ? ' 

"  •  It  ain't  fair  play  agin  a  woman,'  says  old 
Sam,  '  three  strong  men  agin  one  poor  old 
woman;  that's  wot  we  feel,  Ginger.' 

"  '  Well,  /  don't  feel  like  it,'  ses  Ginger ;  '  you 
please  yourself,  and  I  '11  please  myself.' 

"  'E  went  off  in  a  huff,  an'  next  morning  'e  was 
so  disagreeable  that  Sam  an'  Peter  went  and 
signed  on  board  a  steamer  called  the  Penguin^ 
which  was  to  sail  the  day  arter.  They  parted 
bad  friends  all  round,  and  Ginger  Dick  gave 
Peter  a  nasty  black  eye,  and  Sam  said  that  when 
Ginger  came  to  see  things  in  a  proper  way  agin 
he'd  be  sorry  for  wot  'e 'd  said.  And  'e  said 
that  'im  and  Peter  never  wanted  to  look  on  'is 
face  agin. 

"  Ginger  Dick  was  a  bit  lonesome  arter  they'd 
gone,  but  'e  thought  it  better  to  let  a  few  days  go 


A    MARKED    MAN  147 

by  afore  'e  went  and  adopted  the  red-'aired  land- 
lady. He  waited  a  week,  and  at  last,  unable  to 
wait  any  longer,  'e  went  out  and  'ad  a  shave  and 
smartened  hisself  up,  and  went  off  to  the  ( Blue 
Lion.' 

"  It  was  about  three  o'clock  when  'e  got  there, 
and  the  little  public-'ouse  was  empty  except  for 
two  old  men  in  the  jug-and-bottle  entrance. 
Ginger  stopped  outside  a  minute  or  two  to  try 
and  stop  'is  trembling,  and  then  'e  walks  into  the 
private  bar  and  raps  on  the  counter. 

"  '  Glass  o'  bitter,  ma'am,  please,'  he  ses  to  the 
old  lady  as  she  came  out  o'  the  little  parlour  at 
the  back  o'  the  bar. 

"  The  old  lady  drew  the  beer,  and  then  stood 
with  one  'and  holding  the  beer-pull  and  the  other 
on  the  counter,  looking  at  Ginger  Dick  in  'is  new 
blue  jersey  and  cloth  cap. 

"  '  Lovely  weather,  ma'am/  ses  Ginger,  putting 
his  left  arm  on  the  counter  and  showing  the 
sailor-boy  dancing  the  hornpipe. 
\  «  «  Very  nice,'  ses  the  landlady,  catching  sight 
of  'is  wrist  an'  staring  at  it.  '  I  suppose  you 
sailors  like  fine  weather?' 

" '  Yes,  ma'am,'  ses  Ginger,  putting  his  elbows 
on  the  counter  so  that  the  tattoo  marks  on  both 
wrists  was  showing.  '  Fine  weather  an'  a  fair 
wind  suits  us.' 


i48  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  It's  a  'ard  life,  the  sea/  ses  the  old  lady. 

"  She  kept  wiping  down  the  counter  in  front  of 
'im  over  an'  over  agin,  an'  'e  could  see  'er  staring 
at  'is  wrists  as  though  she  could  'ardly  believe  her 
eyes.  Then  she  went  back  into  the  parlour,  and 
Ginger  'eard  her  whispering,  and  by  and  by  she 
came  out  agin  with  the  blue-eyed  barmaid. 

"  '  Have  you  been  at  sea  long  ?'  ses  the  old  lady. 

"  '  Over  twenty-three  years,  ma'am,'  ses  Ginger, 
avoiding  the  barmaid's  eye  wot  was  fixed  on 
'is  wrists,  '  and  I  've  been  shipwrecked  four 
times ;  the  fust  time  when  I  was  a  little  nipper 
o'  fourteen.' 

"'  Pore  thing,'  ses  the  landlady,  shaking  'er 
'ead.  '  I  can  feel  for  you  ;  my  boy  went  to  sea 
at  that  age,  and  I  've  never  seen  'im  since.' 

"  '  I  'm  sorry  to  'ear  it,  ma'am,'  ses  Ginger,  very 
respectful-like.  *  I  suppose  I  've  lost  my  mother, 
so  I  can  feci  for  you.' 

"'Suppose  you've  lost  your  mother!'  ses  the 
barmaid  ;  '  don't  you  know  whether  you  have?" 

"'No,'  ses  Ginger  Dick,  very  sad.  'When  I 
was  wrecked  the  fust  time  I  was  in  a  open  boat 
for  three  weeks,  and,  wot  with  the  exposure  and 
'ardly  any  food,  I  got  brain-fever  and  lost  my 
memory.' 

"  '  Pore  thing,'  ses  the  landlady  agin. 

" '  I  might  as  well  be  a  orfin,'  ses  Ginger,  look- 


A    MARKED    MAN  149 

ing  down ;  '  sometimes  I  seem  to  see  a  kind, 
'andsome  face  bending  over  me,  and  fancy  it's 
my  mother's,  but  I  can't  remember  'er  name,  or 
my  name,  or  anythink  about  'er.' 

" '  You  remind  me  o'  my  boy  very  much,'  ses 
the  landlady,  shaking  'er  'ead ;  '  you  've  got  the 
same  coloured  'air,  and,  wot's  extraordinary, 
you  've  got  the  same  tattoo  marks  on  your  wrists. 
Sailor-boy  dancing  on  one  and  a  couple  of  dol- 
phins on  the  other.  And  'e  'ad  a  little  scar  on 
'is  eyebrow,  much  the  same  as  yours.' 

" '  Good  'evins,'  ses  Ginger  Dick,  starting  back 
and  looking  as  though  'e  was  trying  to  remember 
something. 

" '  I  s'pose  they  're  common  among  seafaring 
men?'  ses  the  landlady,  going  off  to  attend  to 
a  customer. 

"  Ginger  Dick  would  ha'  liked  to  ha'  seen  'er 
a  bit  more  excited,  but  'e  ordered  another  glass 
o'  bitter  from  the  barmaid,  and  tried  to  think  'ow 
he  was  to  bring  out  about  the  ship  on  his  chest 
and  the  letters  on  'is  back.  The  landlady  served 
a  couple  o'  men,  and  by  and  by  she  came  back 
and  began  talking  agin. 

" '  I  like  sailors,'  she  ses  ;  'one  thing  is,  my  boy 
was  a  sailor ;  and  another  thing  is,  they  've  got 
such  feelin'  'earts.  There  was  two  of  'em  in  'ere 
the  other  day,  who  'd  been  in  'ere  once  or  twice, 


150  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

and  one  of  'em  was  that  kind  'earted  I  thought 
he  would  ha'  'ad  a  fit  at  something  I  told  him.' 

" *  Ho,'  ses  Ginger,  pricking  up  his  ears,  '  wot 
for?' 

" '  I  was  just  talking  to  'im  about  my  boy, 
same  as  I  might  be  to  you,'  ses  the  old  lady,  'and 
I  was  just  telling  'im  about  the  poor  child  losing 
'is  finger ' 

"'Losing  'Is  wot?'  ses  Ginger,  turning  pale 
and  staggering  back. 

"  '  Finger,'  ses  the  landlady.     '  'E  was  only  ten 

years  old  at  the  time,  and  I  'd  sent  'im  out  to 

Wot 's  the  matter  ?     Ain't  you  well  ? ' 

"  Ginger  didn't  answer  'er  a  word  ;  he  couldn't. 
'E  went  on  going  backwards  until  'e  got  to  the 
door,  and  then  'e  suddenly  fell  through  it  into  the 
street,  and  tried  to  think. 

"  Then  'e  remembered  Sam  and  Peter,  and 
when  'e  thought  of  them  safe  and  sound  aboard 
the  Penguin  he  nearly  broke  down  altogether,  as 
'e  thought  how  lonesome  he  was. 

"  All  'e  wanted  was  'is  arms  round  both  their 
necks  same  as  they  was  the  night  afore  they  'ad 
'im  tattooed." 


TO    HAVE   AND   TO   HOLD 

THE  old  man  sat  outside  the  Cauliflower  Inn, 
looking  crossly  up  the  road.  He  was  fond 
of  conversation,  but  the  pedestrian  who  had 
stopped  to  drink  a  mug  of  ale  beneath  the  shade 
of  the  doors  was  not  happy  in  his  choice  of  sub- 
jects. He  would  only  talk  of  the  pernicious 
effects  of  beer  on  the  constitutions  of  the  aged, 
and  he  listened  with  ill-concealed  impatience  to 
various  points  which  the  baffled  ancient  opposite 
urged  in  its  favour. 

Conversation  languished  ;  the  traveller  rapped 
on  the  table  and  had  his  mug  refilled.  He  nodded 
courteously  to  his  companion  and  drank. 

"  Seems  to  me,"  said  the  latter,  sharply,  "  you 
like  it  for  all  your  talk." 

The  other  shook  his  head  gently,  and,  lean'ng 
back,  bestowed  a  covert  wink  upon  the  signboaid. 
He  then  explained  that  it  was  the  dream  of  his 
life  to  give  up  beer. 

"  You  're   another   Job    Brown,"   said   the   old 

man,  irritably,  "  that's  wot  you  are  ;  another  Job 

Brown.     1  'vc  seen  your  kind  afore." 

in 


152  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

He  shifted  farther  along  the  seat,  and,  taking 
up  his  long  clay  pipe  from  the  table,  struck  a 
match  and  smoked  the  few  whiffs  which  remained. 
Then  he  heard  the  traveller  order  a  pint  of  ale 
with  gin  in  it  and  a  paper  of  tobacco.  His  dull 
eyes  glistened,  but  he  made  a  feeble  attempt  to 
express  surprise  when  these  luxuries  were  placed 
before  him. 

"  Wot  I  said  just  now  about  you  being  like  Job 
Brown  was  only  in  joke  like,"  he  said,  anxiously, 
as  he  tasted  the  brew.  "  If  Job  'ad  been  like  you 
he  'd  ha'  been  a  better  man." 

The  philanthropist  bowed.  He  also  manifested 
a  little  curiosity  concerning  one  to  whom  he  had, 
for  however  short  a  time,  suggested  a  resemblance. 

"  He  was  one  o'  the  'ardest  drinkers  in  these 
parts,"  began  the  old  man,  slowly,  filling  his  pipe. 

The  traveller  thanked  him. 

"  Wot  I  meant  was  " — said  the  old  man,  hastily 
— "  that  all  the  time  'e  was  drinking  'e  was  talking 
agin  beer  same  as  you  was  just  now,  and  he  used 
to  try  all  =orts  o'  ways  and  plans  of  becoming  a 
teetotaller.  He  used  to  sit  up  'ere  of  a  night 
drinking  'is  'ardest  and  talking  all  the  time  of 
ways  and  means  by  which  'e  could  give  it  up. 
He  used  to  talk  about  hisself  as  if  'e  was  some- 
body else  'e  was  trying  to  do  good  to. 

"  The   chaps    about  'ere   got    sick    of  'is  talk. 


THERE    WAS    UNPLEASANTNESS  ALL    ROI  rill 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     153 

They  was  poor  men  mostly,  same  as  they  are 
now,  and  they  could  only  drink  a  little  ale  now 
and  then  ;  an'  while  they  was  doing  of  it  they  'ad 
to  sit  and  listen  to  Job  Brown,  who  made  lots  o' 
money  dealing,  drinking  pint  arter  pint  o'  gin 
and  beer  and  calling  it  pison,  an'  saying  they  was 
killing  theirselves. 

"Sometimes  'e  used  to  get  pitifulover  it,  and 
sit  shaking  'is  'ead  at  'em  for  drowning  theirselves 
in  beer,  as  he  called  it,  when  they  ought  to  be 
giving  the  money  to  their  wives  and  families. 
He  sat  down  and  cried  one  night  over  Bill 
Chambers's  wife's  toes  being  out  of  'er  boots. 
Bill  sat  struck  all  of  a  'eap,  and  it  might  'ave 
passed  off,  only  Henery  Walker  spoke  up  for 
'im,  and  said  that  he  scarcely  ever  'ad  a  pint 
but  wot  somebody  else  paid  for  it.  There  was 
unpleasantness  all  round  then,  and  in  the  row 
somebody  knocked  one  o'  Henery's  teeth  out. 

"And  that  wasn't  the  only  unpleasantness, 
and  at  last  some  of  the  chaps  put  their  'eads 
together  and  agreed  among  theirselves  to  try 
and  help  Job  Brown  to  give  up  the  drink.  They 
kep'  it  secret  from  Job,  but  the  next  time  'e 
came  in  and  ordered  a  pint,  Joe  Gubbins — 'aving 
won  the  toss — drank  it  by  mistake,  and  went 
straight  off  'ome  as  'ard  as  'e  could,  smacking 
'is  lips. 


154  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  He  'ad  the  best  of  it,  the  other  chaps  'aving 
to  'old  Job  down  in  'is  chair,  and  trying  their 
'ardest  to  explain  that  Joe  Gubbins  was  only 
doing  him  a  kindness.  He  seemed  to  understand 
at  last,  and  arter  a  long  time  'e  said  as  'e  could 
see  Joe  meant  to  do  'im  a  kindness,  but  'e  'd  better 
not  do  any  more. 

"  He  kept  a  very  tight  'old  o'  the  next  pint, 
and  as  'e  set  down  at  the  table  he  looked  round 
nasty  like  and  asked  'em  whether  there  was  any 
more  as  would  like  to  do  'im  a  kindness,  and 
Henery  Walker  said  there  was,  and  he  went 
straight  off  'ome  arter  fust  dropping  a  handful 
o'  sawdust  into  Job's  mug. 

"  I  'm  an  old  man,  an'  I  've  seen  a  good  many 
rows  in  my  time,  but  I  've  never  seen  anything 
like  the  one  that  'appened  then.  It  was  no  good 
talking  to  Job,  not  a  bit,  he  being  that  unreason- 
able that  even  when  'is  own  words  was  repeated 
to  'im  he  wouldn't  listen.  He  behaved  like  a 
madman,  an'  the  langwidge  'e  used  was  that  fear- 
ful and  that  wicked  that  Smith  the  landlord  said 
'e  wouldn't  'ave  it  in  'is  house. 

"  Arter  that  you  'd  ha'  thought  that  Job  Brown 
would  'ave  left  off  'is  talk  about  being  a  teetotaller, 
but  he  didn't.  He  said  they  was  quite  right  in 
trying  to  do  'im  a  kindness,  but  he  didn't  like  the 
way  they  did  it     He  said  there  was  a  right  way 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     155 

and  a  wrong  way  of  doing  everything,  and  they  'd 
chose  the  wrong. 

"  It  was  all  very  well  for  'im  to  talk,  but  the 
chaps  said  'e  might  drink  hisself  to  death  for  all 
they  cared.  And  instead  of  seeing  'im  safe  'ome 
as  they  used  to  when  'e  was  worse  than  usual  he 
'ad  to  look  arter  hisself  and  get  'ome  as  best  he 
could. 

"  It  was  through  that  at  last  'e  came  to  offer 
five  pounds  reward  to  anybody  as  could  'elp  'im  to 
become  a  teetotaller.  He  went  off  'ome  one  night 
as  usual,  and  arter  stopping  a  few  seconds  in  the 
parlour  to  pull  hisself  together,  crept  quietly 
upstairs  for  fear  of  waking  'is  wife.  He  saw  by 
the  crack  under  the  door  that  she'd  left  a  candle 
burning,  so  he  pulled  hisself  together  agin  and 
then  turned  the  'andle  and  went  in  and  began  to 
try  an'  take  off  'is  coat. 

"  He  'appened  to  give  a  'alf-look  towards  the 
bed  as  *e  did  so,  and  then  'e  started  back  and 
rubbed  'is  eyes  and  told  'imself  he'd  be  better 
in  a  minute.  Then  'e  looked  agin,  for  'is  wife  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  in  the  bed  all  fast  and 
sound  asleep  and  snoring  their  'ardest  was  little 
Dick  Weed  the  tailor  and  Mrs.Weed  and  the  baby. 

"Job  Brown  rubbed  'is  eyes  agin,  and  then  'e 
drew  hisself  up  to  'is  full  height,  and  putting  one 
'and  on  the  chest  o'  drawers  to  steady  hisself, 


156  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

stood  there  staring  at  'em  and  getting  madder 
and  madder  every  second.  Then  'e  gave  a  nasty 
cough,  and  Dick  and  Mrs.  Weed  an'  the  baby  all 
woke  up  and  stared  at  'im  as  though  they  could 
'ardly  believe  their  eyesight. 

'"Wot  do  you  want?' ses  Dick  Weed, starting  up 

" '  Get  up,'  ses  Job,  'ardly  able  to  speak.  ■ I  'm 
surprised  at  you.     Get  up  out  o'  my  bed  direckly.' 

" '  Your  bed  ? '  screams  little  Dick  ;  '  you  're  the 
worse  for  licker,  Job  Brown.  Can't  you  see  you  've 
come  into  the  wrong  house  ?' 

" '  Eh  ? '  ses  Job,  staring.  '  Wrong  'ouse  ?  Well, 
where 's  mine,  then  ? ' 

'"Next  door  but  one,  same  as  it  always  was,' 
ses  Dick.     '  Will  you  go  ? ' 

" '  A'  right,'  ses  Job,  staring.  '  Well,  goo'-night, 
Dick.    Goo'-night,  Mrs.  Weed.    Goo'-night,  baby.' 

"'Good-night,' ses  Mrs.  Weed  from  under  the 
bedclothes. 

'"Goo'-night,  baby,'  ses  Job,  agin. 

" '  It  can't  talk  yet,'  ses  Dick.     '  Will  you  go  ? ' 

" '  Can't  talk— why  not  ?  '  ses  Job. 

"Dick  didn't  answer  'im. 

"'Well,  goo'-night,  Dick,'  he  ses  agin. 

" '  Good-night,'  ses  Dick  from  between  'is  teeth. 

'"Goo'-night,  Mrs.  Weed,'  ses  Job. 

"  Mrs.  Weed  forced  herself  to  say  '  Good-night 
agin. 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     157 

"'Goo'-night,  baby,' ses  Job. 

"'Look  'ere,'  ses  Dick,  raving, 'are  you  goin' 
to  stay  'ere  all  night,  Job  Brown  ?' 

"Job  didn't  answer  'im,  but  began  to  go  down- 
stairs, saying  'goo'-night'  as  'e  went,  and  he'd 
got  pretty  near  to  the  bottom  when  he  suddenly 
wondered  wot  'e  was  going  downstairs  for  instead 
of  up,  and  larfing  gently  at  'is  foolishness  for 
making  sich  a  mistake  'e  went  upstairs  agin.  His 
surprise  when  'e  see  Dick  Weed  and  Mrs.  Weed 
and  the  baby  all  in  'is  bed  pretty  near  took  'is 
breath  away. 

" '  Wot  are  you  doing  in  my  bed  ? '  he  ses. 

"'It's  our  bed,'  ses  Dick,  trembling  all  over 
with  rage.  '  I  've  told  you  afore  you  've  come  into 
the  wrong  'ouse.' 

" '  Wrong  'ouse,'  ses  Job,  staring  round  the  room. 
'  I  b'leeve  you  're  right.  Goo'-night,  Dick  ;  goo'- 
night,  Mrs.  Weed  ;  goo'-night,  baby.' 

"  Dick  jumped  out  of  bed  then  and  tried  to  push 
'im  out  of  the  room,  but  'e  was  a  very  small  man, 
and  Job  just  stood  there  and  wondered  wot  he  was 
doing.  Mrs.  Weed  and  the  baby  both  started 
screaming  one  against  the  other,  and  at  last 
Dick  pushed  the  window  open  and  called  out 
for  help. 

"They  'ad  the  neighbours  in  then,  and  the 
4  trouble  they  'ad  to  get  Job  downstairs  wouldn't 


158  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

be  believed.  Mrs.  Pottle  went  for  'is  wife  at  last, 
and  then  Job  went  'ome  with  'er  like  a  lamb,  ask- 
ing 'er  where  she'd  been  all  the  evening,  and  say- 
ing 'e  'd  been  looking  for  'er  everywhere. 

"There  was  such  a  to-do  about  it  in  the  village 
next  morning  that  Job  Brown  was  fairly  scared. 
All  the  wimmen  was  out  at  their  doors  talking 
about  it,  and  saying  wot  a  shame  it  was  and  'ow 
silly  Mrs.  Weed  was  to  put  up  with  it.  Then  old 
Mrs.  Gumm,  'er  grandmother,  who  was  eighty- 
eight  years  old,  stood  outside  Job's  'ouse  nearly 
all  day,  shaking  'er  stick  at  'im  and  daring  of 'im 
to  come  out.  Wot  with  Mrs.  Gumm  and  the  little 
crowd  watching  'er  all  day  and  giving  'er  good 
advice,  which  she  wouldn't  take,  Job  was  afraid 
to  show  'is  nose  outside  the  door. 

"  He  wasn't  like  hisself  that  night  up  at  the 
'  Cauliflower.'  'E  sat  up  in  the  corner  and  wouldn't 
take  any  notice  of  anybody,  and  it  was  easy  to 
see  as  he  was  thoroughly  ashamed  of  hisself. 

'"Cheer  up,  Job,'  says  Bill  Chambers,  at  last; 
'you  ain't  the  fust  man  as  has  made  a  fool  of 
hisself.' 

"'Mind  your  own  business,'  ses  Job  Brown, 
'and  I  '11  mind  mine.' 

"'Why  don't  you  leave  'im  alone,  Bill?'  ses 
Henery  Walker;  'you  can  see  the  man  is  worried 
because  the  baby  can't  talk.' 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     159 

"'Oh,'  ses  Bill,  'I  thought  'e  was  worried 
because  'is  wife  could.' 

"  All  the  chaps,  except  Job,  that  is,  laughed  at 
that ;  but  Job  'e  got  up  and  punched  the  table, 
and  asked  whether  there  was  anybody  as  would 
like  to  go  outside  with  him  for  five  minutes.  Then 
'e  sat  down  agin,  and  said  'ard  things  agin  the 
drink,  which  'ad  made  'im  the  larfing-stock  of  all 
the  fools  in  Claybury. 

u '  I  'm  going  to  give  it  up,  Smith,'  he  ses. 

"'Yes,  I  know  you  are,'  ses  Smith. 

'"If  I  could  on'y  lose  the  taste  of  it  for  a  time 
I  could  give  it  up,'  ses  Job,  wiping  'is  mouth,  'and 
to  prove  I  'm  in  earnest  I  '11  give  five  pounds  to 
anybody  as '11  prevent  me  tasting  intoxicating 
licker  for  a  month.' 

"'You  may  as  well  save  your  breath  to  bid 
people  "good-night"  with,  Job,'  ses  Bill  Chambers; 
'you  wouldn't  pay  up  if  anybody  did  keep  you 
off  if 

"  Job  swore  honour  bright  he  would,  but  nobody 
believed  'im,  and  at  last  he  called  for  pen  and  ink 
and  wrote  it  all  down  on  a  sheet  o'  paper  and 
signed  it,  and  then  he  got  two  other  chaps  to  sign 
it  as  witnesses. 

"  Bill  Chambers  wasn't  satisfied  then.  He 
pointed  out  that  earning  the  five  pounds,  and 
then  getting  it  out  o'  Job  Brown  arterwards,  was 


i6o  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

two  such  entirely  different  things,  that  there  was 
no  likeness  between  'em  at  all.  Then  Job  Brown 
got  so  mad  'e  didn't  know  wot  'e  was  doing,  and 
'e  'anded  over  five  pounds  to  Smith  the  landlord 
and  wrote  on  the  paper  that  he  was  to  give  it  to 
anybody  who  should  earn  it,  without  consulting 
'im  at  all.  Even  Bill  couldn't  think  of  anything 
to  say  agin  that,  but  he  made  a  point  of  biting  all 
the  sovereigns. 

"There  was  quite  a  excitement  for  a  few  days. 
Henery  Walker  'e  got  a  'eadache  with  thinking, 
and  Joe  Gubbins,  'e  got  a  'eadache  for  drinking 
Job  Brown's  beer  agin.  There  was  all  sorts  o' 
wild  ways  mentioned  to  earn  that  five  pounds, 
but  they  didn't  come  to  anything. 

"  Arter  a  week  had  gone  by  Job  Brown  began 
to  get  restless  like,  and  once  or  twice  'e  said  in 
Smith's  hearing  'ow  useful  five  pounds  would  be. 
Smith  didn't  take  any  notice,  and  at  last  Job  told 
'im  there  didn't  seem  any  likelihood  of  the  five 
pounds  being  earned,  and  he  wanted  it  to  buy 
pigs  with.  The  way'e  went  on  when  Smith  said 
'e  'adn't  got  the  power  to  give  it  back,  and  'e  'd 
got  to  keep  it  in  trust  for  anybody  as  might  earn 
it,  was  disgraceful. 

"  He  used  to  ask  Smith  for  it  every  night,  and 
Smith  used  to  give  'im  the  same  answer,  until  at 
last  Job  Brown  said  as  he'd  go  an'  see  a  lawyer 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     161 

about  it.  That  frightened  Smith  a  bit,  and  I 
b'lieve  he'd  ha'  'anded  it  over, but  two  days  arter- 
wards  Job  was  going  upstairs  so  careful  that  he 
fell  down  to  the  bottom  and  broke  'is  leg. 

"  It  was  broken  in  two  places,  and  the  doctor 
said  it  would  be  a  long  job,  owing  to  'is  drinking 
habits,  and  'e  gave  Mrs.  Brown  strict  orders  that 
Job  wasn't  to  'ave  a  drop  of  anything,  even  if  'e 
asked  for  it. 

"There  was  a  lot  o'  talk  about  it  up  at  the 
'Cauliflower'  'ere,  and  Henery  Walker,  arter  a  bad 
'eadache,  thought  of  a  plan  by  which  'e  and  Bill 
Chambers  could  'ave  that  five  pounds  atween  'em. 
The  idea  was  that  Bill  Chambers  was  to  go  with 
Henery  to  see  Job,  and  take  'im  a  bottle  of  beer, 
and  jist  as  Job  was  going  to  drink  it  Henery 
should  knock  it  out  of  'is  'ands,  at  the  same  time 
telling  Bill  Chambers  'e  ought  to  be  ashamed  o' 
hisself. 

"It  was  a  good  idea,  and,  as  Henery  Walker 
said,  if  Mrs.  Brown  was  in  the  room  so  much  the 
better,  as  she  'd  be  a  witness.  He  made  Bill  swear 
to  keep  it  secret  for  fear  of  other  chaps  doing  it 
arterwards,  and  then  they  bought  a  bottle  o'  beer 
and  set  off  up  the  road  to  Job's.  The  annoying 
part  of  it  was,  arter  all  their  trouble  and  Henery 
Walker's  'eadache,  Mrs.  Brown  wouldn't  let  'em 
in.  They  begged  and  prayed  of  'er  to  let  'em  go 
L 


162  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

up  and  just  'ave  a  peep  at  'im,  but  she  wouldn't. 
She  said  she  'd  go  upstairs  and  peep  for  'em,  and 
she  came  down  agin  and  said  that  'e  was  a  little 
bit  flushed,  but  sleeping  like  a  lamb. 

"  They  went  round  the  corner  and  drank  the 
ale  up,  and  Bill  Chambers  said  it  was  a  good  job 
Henery  thought  'e  was  clever,  because  nobody 
else  did.  As  for  'is  'eadaches,  he  put  'em  down 
to  over-eating. 

"  Several  other  chaps  called  to  see  Job,  but  none 
of  them  was  allowed  to  go  up,  and  for  seven 
weeks  that  unfortunit  man  never  touched  a  drop 
of  anything.  The  doctor  tried  to  persuade  'im 
now  that  'e  'ad  got  the  start  to  keep  it,  and  'e  like- 
wise pointed  out  that  as  'e  had  been  without 
liquor  for  over  a  month,  he  could  go  and  get  that 
five  pounds  back  out  o'  Smith. 

"Job  promised  that  'e  would  give  it  up;  but 
the  fust  day  'e  felt  able  to  crawl  on  'is  crutches 
he  made  up  'is  mind  to  go  up  to  the  '  Cauliflower ' 
and  see  whether  gin  and  beer  tasted  as  good  as  it 
used  to.  The  only  thing  was  'is  wife  might  stop  'im. 

" ( You  're  done  up  with  nursing  me,  old  gal,'  he 
ses  to  'is  wife. 

Ui  I  am  a  bit  tired,'  ses  she. 

"'  I  could  see  it  by  your  eyes,'  ses  Job.  '  What 
you  want  is  a  change,  Folly.  Why  not  go  and 
see  your  sister  at  Wickham  ?' 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     163 

"'I  don't  like  leaving  you  alone,'  ses  Mrs, 
Brown, '  else  I  'd  like  to  go.  I  want  to  do  a  little 
shopping.' 

" '  You  go,  my  dear,'  ses  Job.  '  I  shall  be  quite 
'appy  sitting  at  the  gate  in  the  sun  with  a  glass 
o'  milk  an'  a  pipe.' 

"  He  persuaded  'er  at  last,  and,  in  a  fit  o' 
generosity,  gave  'er  three  shillings  to  go  shopping 
with,  and  as  soon  as  she  was  out  o'  sight  he  went 
off  with  a  crutch  and  a  stick,  smiling  all  over  'is 
face.  He  met  Dick  Weed  in  the  road  and  they 
shook  'ands  quite  friendly,  and  Job  asked  'im  to 
'ave  a  drink.  Then  Henery  Walker  and  some 
more  chaps  came  along,  and  by  the  time  they  got 
to  the  '  Cauliflower '  they  was  as  merry  a  party 
as  you  'd  wish  to  see. 

"  Every  man  'ad  a  pint  o'  beer,  which  Job  paid 
for,  not  forgetting  Smith  'isself,  and  Job  closed  'is 
eyes  with  pleasure  as  'e  took  his.  Then  they 
began  to  talk  about  'is  accident,  and  Job  showed 
'em  'is  leg  and  described  wot  it  felt  like  to  be  a 
teetotaller  for  seven  weeks. 

" '  And  I  '11  trouble  you  for  that  five  pounds, 
Smith,'  'e  ses,  smiling.  '  I  've  been  without  any- 
thing stronger  than  milk  for  seven  weeks.  I 
never  thought  when  I  wrote  that  paper  I  was 
going  to  earn  my  own  money.' 

" «  None  of  us  did,  Job,'  ses  Smith.     «  D'  ye  think 


164  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

that  leg '11  be  all  right  agin?  As  good  as  the 
other,  I  mean?' 

" '  Doctor  ses  so,'  ses  Job. 

" '  It 's  wonderful  wot  they  can  do  nowadays,' 
ses  Smith,  shaking  'is  'ead. 

" '  'Strordinary,'  ses  Job ;  '  where 's  that  five 
pounds,  Smith?' 

" '  You  don't  want  to  put  any  sudden  weight  or 
anything  like  that  on  it  for  a  time,  Job,'  ses  Smith  ; 
'  don't  get  struggling  or  fighting,  whatever  you  do, 
Job.' 

" '  'Tain't  so  likely,'  ses  Job  ;  '  d'  ye  think  I  'm  a 
fool  ?     Where 's  that  five  pounds,  Smith  ? ' 

"'Ah,  yes,' ses  Smith,  looking  as  though  'e'd 
just  remembered  something.  •  I  wanted  to  tell 
you  about  that,  to  see  if  I  've  done  right.  I  'm 
glad  you  've  come  in.' 

" '  Eh  ? '  ses  Job  Brown,  staring  at  'im. 

"'Has  your  wife  gone  shopping  to-day?'  ses 
Smith,  looking  at  'im  very  solemn. 

"Job  Brown  put  'is  mug  down  on  the  table  and 
turned  as  pale  as  ashes.  Then  'e  got  up  and 
limped  over  to  the  bar. 

" '  Wot  d'  yer  mean  ? '  he  ses,  choking. 

"'She  said  she  thought  o'  doing  so,'  ses  Smith, 
wiping  a  glass  ;  '  she  came  in  yesterday  and  asked 
for  that  five  pounds  she  'd  won.  The  doctor  came 
in  with  'er  and  said  she'd  kept  you  from  licker 


TO    HAVE    AND    TO    HOLD     165 

for  seven  weeks,  let  alone  a  month  ;  so,  according 
to  the  paper,  I  'ad  to  give  it  to  'er.  I  'ope  I  done 
right,  Job  ? ' 

"  Job  didn't  answer  'im  a  word,  good  or  bad. 
He  just  turned  'is  back  on  him,  and,  picking  up  'is 
crutch  and  'is  stick,  hobbled  off  'ome.  Henery 
Walker  tried  to  make  'im  stop  and  'ave  another 
pint,  but  he  wouldn't.  He  said  he  didn't  want  'is 
wife  to  find  'im  out  when  she  returned." 


BREVET    RANK 

THE  crew  of  the  Elizabeth  Hopkins  sat  on 
deck  in  the  gloaming,  gazing  idly  at  the 
dusky  shapes  of  the  barges  as  they  dropped 
silently  down  on  the  tide,  or  violently  discussing 
the  identity  of  various  steamers  as  they  came 
swiftly  past.  Even  with  these  amusements  the 
time  hung  heavily,  and  they  thought  longingly  of 
certain  cosy  bars  by  the  riverside  to  which  they 
were  wont  to  betake  themselves  in  their  spare 
time. 

To-night,  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  the 
skipper,  wishes  which  approximated  closely  to 
those  of  Royalty  in  their  effects,  they  remained 
on  board.  A  new  acquaintance  of  his,  a  brother 
captain,  who  dabbled  in  mesmerism,  was  coming 
to  give  them  a  taste  of  his  quality,  and  the  skipper, 
sitting  on  the  side  of  the  schooner  in  the  faint 
light  which  streamed  from  the  galley,  was  con- 
descendingly explaining  to  them  the  marvels  of 
hypnotism. 

"  I  never  'eard  the  likes  of  it,"  said  one,  with  a 

1M 


BREVET    RANK  167 

deep  breath,  as  the  skipper  concluded  a  marvellous 
example. 

"There's  a  lot  yon  ain't  'eard  of,  Bill,"  said 
another,  whose  temper  was  suffering  from  lack 
of  beer.     "  But  'ave  you  seen  all  this,  sir?" 

"  Everything,"  said  the  skipper,  impressively. 
"  He  wanted  to  mesmerise  me,  an'  I  said,  •  All 
right,'  I  ses,  •  do  it  an'  welcome — if  you  can,  but 
I  expect  my  head 's  a  bit  too  strong  for  you.' " 

"  And  it  was,  sir,  I  '11  bet,"  said  the  man  who 
had  been  so  candid  with  Bill. 

"  He  tried  everything,"  said  the  skipper,  "  then 
he  give  it  up;  but  he's  coming  aboard  to-night, 
so  any  of  you  that  likes  can  come  down  the  cabin 
and  be  mesmerised  free." 

"  Why  can't  he  do  it  on  deck?"  said  the  mate, 
rising  from  the  hatches  and  stretching  his  gigantic 
form. 

"  'Cos  he  must  have  artificial  light,  George," 
said  the  skipper.  "  He  lets  me  a  little  bit  into 
the  secret,  you  know,  an'  he  told  me  he  likes  to 
have  the  men  a  bit  dazed-like  first." 

Voices  sounded  from  the  wharf,  and  the  night- 
watchman  appeared  piloting  Captain  Zingall  to 
the  schooner.  The  crew  noticed  that  he  came 
aboard  quite  like  any  other  man,  descending  the 
ladder  with  even  more  care  than  usual.  He  was 
a  small  man,  of  much  dignity,  with  light  grey 


168  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

eyes  which  had  been  so  strained  by  the  exercise 
of  his  favourite  hobby  that  they  appeared  to  be 
starting  from  his  head.  He  chatted  agreeably 
about  freights  for  some  time,  and  then,  at  his 
brother  skipper's  urgent  entreaty,  consented  to  go 
below  and  give  them  a  taste  of  his  awful  powers. 

At  first  he  was  not  very  successful.  The  men 
stared  at  the  discs  he  put  into  their  hands  until 
their  eyes  ached,  but  for  some  time  without  effect. 
Bill  was  the  first  to  yield,  and  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  his  friends  passed  into  a  soft  magnetic 
slumber,  from  which  he  emerged  to  perform 
the  usual  idiotic  tricks  peculiar  to  mesmerised 
subjects. 

"  It's  wonderful  what  power  you  'ave  over  'em," 
said  Captain  Bradd,  respectfully. 

Captain  Zingall  smiled  affably.  "  At  the  present 
moment,"  he  said,  "  that  man  is  my  unthinkin' 
slave,  an'  whatever  I  wish  him  to  do  he  does. 
Would  any  of  you  like  him  to  do  anything?" 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  men,  "  'e  owes  me 
'arf  a  dollar,  an'  I  think  it  would  be  a  'ighly  in- 
terestin'  experiment  if  you  could  get  'im  to  pay 
me.  If  anything  'ud  make  me  believe  in  mes- 
merism, that  would." 

"  An'  he  owes  me  eighteenpence,  sir,"  said 
another  seaman,  eagerly. 

"  One  at  a  time,"  said  the  first  speaker,  sharply 


BREVET    RANK  169 

M  An'  'e's  owed  me  five  shillin's  since  I  don't 
know  when,"  said  the  cook,  with  dishonest 
truthfulness. 

Captain  Zingall  turned  to  his  subject.  "  You 
owe  that  man  half  a  crown,"  he  said,  pointing, 
"  that  one  eighteenpence,  and  that  one  five 
shillings.     Pay  them." 

In  the  most  matter-of-fact  way  in  the  world, 
Bill  groped  in  his  pockets,  and,  producing  some 
greasy  coins,  paid  the  sums  mentioned,  to  the 
intense  delight  of  everybody  concerned. 

"  Well,  I  'm  blest,"  said  the  mate,  staring.  "  I 
thought  mesmerism  was  all  rubbish.  Now  bring 
him  to  again." 

"  But  don't  tell  'im  wot  'e  's  been  doin',"  said 
the  cook. 

Zingall  with  a  few  passes  brought  his  subject 
round,  and  with  a  subdued  air  he  took  his  place 
with  the  others. 

"  What  'd  it  feel  like,  Bill  ? "  asked  Joe.  «  Can 
you  remember  what  you  did  ? " 

Bill  shook  his  head. 

"  Don't  try  to,"  said  the  cook,  feelingly. 

"  I  should  like  to  put  you  under  the  influence," 
said  Zingall,  eyeing  the  mate. 

"  You  couldn't,"  said  that  gentleman,  promptly. 

"  Let  me  try,"  said  Zingall,  persuasively. 

"  Do,"  said  the  skipper,  "  to  oblige  me,  George." 


170  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  Well,  I  don't  mind  much,"  said  the  mate, 
hesitating ;  "  but  no  making  me  give  those  chaps 
money,  you  know." 

«  No,  no,"  said  Zingall. 

"  Wot  does  'e  mean?  Give  the  chaps  money?" 
said  Bill,  turning  with  a  startled  air  to  the  cook. 

"  I  dunno,"  said  the  cook,  airily.  "  Just  watch 
'im,  Bill,"  he  added,  anxiously. 

But  Bill  had  something  better  to  do,  and  feel- 
ing in  his  pockets  hurriedly  strove  to  balance  his 
cash  account.  It  was  impossible  to  do  anything 
else  while  he  was  doing  it,  and  the  situation  became 
so  strained  and  his  language  so  weird  that  the 
skipper  was  compelled  in  the  interests  of  law  and 
morality  to  order  him  from  the  cabin. 

"  Look  at  me,"  said  Zingall  to  the  mate  after 
quiet  had  been  restored. 

The  mate  complied,  and  everybody  gazed  spell- 
bound at  the  tussle  for  supremacy  between  brute 
force  and  occult  science.  Slowly,  very  slowly, 
science  triumphed,  being  interrupted  several  times 
by  the  blood-curdling  threats  of  Bill,  as  they 
floated  down  the  companion-way.  Then  the 
mate  suddenly  lurched  forward,  and  would  have 
fallen  but  that  strong  hands  caught  him  and 
restored  him  to  his  seat. 

"  I  'm  going  to  show  you  something  now,  if  I 
can,"  said  Zingall,  wiping  his  brow;  "  but  I  don't 


BREVET    RANK  171 

know  how  it'll  come  off,  because  I  'm  only  a  be- 
ginner at  this  sort  of  thing,  and  I  've  never  tried 
this  before.  If  you  don't  mind,  cap'n,  I  'm  going 
to  tell  him  he  is  Cap'n  Bradd,  and  that  you  are 
the  mate." 

"  Go  ahead,"  said  the  delighted  Bradd. 

Captain  Zingall  went  ahead  full  speed.  With 
a  few  rapid  passes  he  roused  the  mate  from  his 
torpor  and  fixed  him  with  his  glittering  eye. 

"  You  are  Cap'n  Bradd,  master  o'  this  ship,"  he 
said,  slowly. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  said  the  mate,  earnestly. 

"  And  that 's  your  mate,  George,"  said  Zingall, 
pointing  to  the  deeply  interested  Bradd. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  said  the  mate  again,  with  a  sigh. 

"  Take  command,  then,"  said  Zingall,  leaving 
him  with  a  satisfied  air  and  seating  himself  on 
the  locker. 

The  mate  sat  up  and  looked  about  him  with 
an  air  of  quiet  authority. 

"  George,"  he  said,  turning  suddenly  to  the 
skipper  with  a  very  passable  imitation  of  his  voice. 

"  Sir,"  said  the  skipper,  with  a  playful  glance 
at  Zingall. 

"  A  friend  o'  mine  named  Cap'n  Zingall  is 
coming  aboard  to-night,"  said  the  mate,  slowly. 
"  Get  a  little  whisky  for  him  out  o'  my  state- 
room." 


172  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  said  the  amused  Bradd. 

"Just  a  little  in  the  bottom  of  the  bottle '11 
do,"  continued  the  mate  ;  "  don't  put  more  in,  for 
he  drinks  like  a  fish." 

"  I  never  said  such  a  thing,  cap'n,"  said  Bradd, 
in  an  agitated  whisper.  "  I  never  thought  o'  such 
a  thing." 

"  No,  I  know  you  wouldn't,"  said  Zingall,  who 
was  staring  hard  at  a  nearly  empty  whisky 
bottle  on  the  table. 

"  And  don't  leave  your  baccy  pouch  lying 
about,  George,"  continued  the  mate,  in  a  thrilling 
whisper. 

The  skipper  gave  a  faint,  mirthless  little  laugh, 
and  looked  at  him  uneasily. 

"If  ever  there  was  a  sponger  for  baccy,  George, 
it's  him,"  said  the  mate,  in  a  confidential  whisper. 

Captain  Zingall,  who  was  at  that  very  moment 
filling  his  pipe  from  the  pouch  which  the  skipper 
had  himself  pushed  towards  him,  laid  it  carefully 
on  the  table  again,  and  gazing  steadily  at  his 
friend,  took  out  the  tobacco  already  in  his  pipe 
and  replaced  it.  In  the  silence  which  ensued  the 
mate  took  up  the  whisky  bottle,  and  pouring  the 
contents  into  a  tumbler,  added  a  little  water,  and 
drank  it  with  relish. 

He  leaned  back  on  the  locker  and  smacked  his 
lips.     There  was  a  faint  laugh  from  one  of  the 


BREVET    RANK  173 

crew,  and  looking  up  smartly  he  seemed  to  be 
aware  for  the  first  time  of  their  presence.  "  What 
are  you  doin'  down  here?"  he  roared.  "What 
do  you  want  ?  " 

"  Nothin',  sir,"  said  the  cook.  "  Only  we 
thought " 

"  Get  out  at  once,"  vociferated  the  mate,  rising. 

"  Stay  where  you  are,"  said  the  skipper,  sharply. 

"  George ! "  said  the  mate,  in  the  squeaky  voice 
in  which  he  chose  to  personate  the  skipper. 

"  Bring  him  round,  Zingall,"  said  the  skipper, 
irritably.  "  I  've  had  enough  o'  this.  I  '11  let 
'im  know  who's  who." 

With  a  confident  smile  Zingall  got  up  quietly 
from  the  locker,  and  fixed  his  terrible  gaze  on 
the  mate.  The  mate  fell  back  and  gazed  at  him 
open-mouthed. 

"  Who  the  devil  are  you  staring  at  ? "  he  de- 
manded, rudely. 

Still  holding  him  with  his  gaze,  Zingall  clapped 
his  hands  together,  and  stepping  up  to  him  blew 
strongly  in  his  face.  The  mate,  with  a  perfect 
scream  of  rage,  picked  him  up  by  the  middle, 
and  dumping  him  heavily  on  the  floor,  held  him 
there  and  worried  him. 

"  Help  !  "  cried  Zingall,  in  a  smothered  voice  ; 
"take  him  off!" 

"  Why  don't  you  bring  him  round  ? "  yelled  the 


174  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

skipper,  excitably.  "  What 's  the  good  of  playing 
with  him  ? " 

Zingall's  reply,  which  was  quite  irrelevant, 
consisted  almost  entirely  of  impious  reflections 
upon  his  friend's  understanding. 

"  Blow  in  'is  face  agin,  sir,"  said  the  cook,  bend- 
ing down  kindly. 

"  Take  him  off!  "  yelled  Zingall ;  "  he's  killing 
me!" 

The  skipper  flew  to  the  assistance  of  his  friend, 
but  the  mate,  who  was  of  gigantic  strength  and 
stature,  simply  backed,  and  crushed  him  against 
a  bulkhead.  Then,  as  if  satisfied,  he  released  the 
crestfallen  Zingall,  and  stood  looking  at  him. 

"  Why— don't— you— bring  —  him  —  round  ? " 
panted  the  skipper. 

"  He 's  out  of  my  control,"  said  Zingall,  rising 
nimbly  to  his  feet.  "  I  've  heard  of  such  cases 
before.  I  'm  only  new  at  the  work,  you  know, 
but  I  dare  say,  in  a  couple  of  years'  time " 

The  skipper  howled  at  him,  and  the  mate 
suddenly  alive  again  to  the  obnoxious  presence 
of  the  crew,  drove  them  up  the  companion  ladder, 
and  pursued  them  to  the  forecastle. 

"  This  is  a  pretty  kettle  o'  fish,"  said  Bradd,  in- 
dignantly.    "  Why  don't  you  bring  him  round  ?  " 

"  Because  I  can't,"  said  Zingall,  shortly.  "  It  '11 
have  to  wear  off." 


BREVET    RANK  175 

"  Wear  off!  "  repeated  the  skipper. 

"He's  under  a  delusion  now,"  said  Zingall, 
"an*  o'  course  I  can't  say  how  long  it'll  last, 
but  whatever  you  do  don't  cross  him  in  any 
way." 

"  Oh,  don't  cross  him,"  repeated  Bradd,  with 
sarcastic  inflection,  "  and  you  call  yourself  a 
mesmerist." 

Zingall  drew  himself  up  with  a  little  pride. 
"  Well,  see  what  I  've  done,"  he  said.  "  The  fact 
is,  I  was  charged  full  with  electricity  when  I 
came  aboard,  and  he 's  got  it  all  now.  It 's  left 
me  weak,  and  until  my  will  wears  off  him  he's 
captain  o'  this  ship." 

"  And  what  about  me?"  said  Bradd. 

"You're  the  mate,"  said  Zingall,  "and  mind, 
for  your  own  sake,  you  act  up  to  it.  If  you  don't 
cross  him  I  haven't  any  doubt  it  '11  be  all  right, 
but  if  you  do  he  '11  very  likely  murder  you  in  a 
fit  of  frenzy,  and — he  wouldn't  be  responsible. 
Good-night." 

"You're  not  going?"  said  Bradd,  clutching 
him  by  the  sleeve. 

"  I  am,"  said  the  other.  "  He  seems  to  have 
took  a  violent  dislike  to  me,  and  if  I  stay  here 
it  '11  only  make  him  worse." 

He  ran  lightly  up  on  deck,  and  avoiding  an 
ugly  rush  on  the  part  of  the  mate,  who  had  been 


176  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

listening,  sprang  on  to  the  ladder  and   hastily 
clambered  ashore. 

The  skipper,  worn  and  scared,  looked  up  as  the 
bogus  skipper  came  below. 

"  I  'm  going  to  bed,  George,"  said  the  mate, 
staring  at  him.  "  I  feel  a  bit  heavy.  Give  me  a 
call  just  afore  high  water." 

"Where  are  you  goin'  to  sleep?"  demanded 
the  skipper. 

"  Goin'  to  sleep  ? "  said  the  mate,  "  why,  in  my 
state-room,  to  be  sure." 

He  took  the  empty  bottle  from  the  table,  and 
opening  the  door  of  the  state-room,  closed  it  in 
the  face  of  its  frenzied  owner,  and  turned  the  key 
in  the  lock.  Then  he  leaned  over  the  berth,  and, 
cramming  the  pillow  against  his  mouth,  gave  way 
to  his  feelings  until  he  was  nearly  suffocated. 

Any  idea  that  the  skipper  might  have  had  of 
the  healing  effects  of  sleep  were  rudely  dispelled 
when  the  mate  came  on  deck  next  morning,  and 
found  that  they  had  taken  the  schooner  out  with- 
out arousing  him.  His  delusion  seemed  to  be 
stronger  than  ever,  and  pushing  the  skipper  from 
the  wheel  he  took  it  himself,  and  read  him  a  short 
and  sharp  lecture  on  the  virtues  of  obedience. 

"  I  know  you  're  a  good  sort,  George  Smith," 
he  said,  leniently,  "  nobody  could  wish  for  a  better, 
but  while  I  'm  master  of  this  here  ship  it  don't 


BREVET    RANK  177 

become  you  to  take  things  upon  yourself  in  the 
way  you  do." 

"  But  you  don't  understand,"  said  the  skipper, 
trying  to  conquer  his  temper.  "  Now  look  me  in 
the  eye,  George." 

"  Who  are  you  calling  George?"  said  the  mate, 
sharply. 

"  Well,  look  me  in  the  eye,  then,"  said  the 
skipper,  waiving  the  point. 

"  I  '11  look  at  you  in  a  way  you  won't  like  in  a 
minute,"  said  the  mate,  ferociously. 

"  I  want  to  explain  the  position  of  affairs  to 
you,"  said  the  skipper.  "  Do  you  remember 
Cap'n  Zingall  what  was  aboard  last  night?" 

"  Little  dirty-looking  man  what  kept  staring  at 
me?"  demanded  the  mate. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  about  'is  being  dirty,"  said 
the  skipper,  "  but  that 's  the  man.  Do  you  know 
what  he  did  to  you,  Geo " 

"  Eh  !  "  said  the  mate,  sharply. 

"  He  mesmerised  you,"  said  the  skipper,  hastily. 
"  Now  keep  quite  calm.  You  say  you  're  Benjamin 
Bradd,  master  o'  this  vessel,  don't  you?" 

"  I  do,"  said  the  mate.  "Let  me  hear  anybody 
say  as  I  ain't." 

"  Yesterday,"  said  the  skipper,  plucking  up 
courage  and  speaking  very  slowly  and  impres- 
sively, "  you  were  George  Smith,  the  mate,  but 

M 


178  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

my  friend,  Captain  Zingall,  mesmerised  you  and 
made  you  think  you  were  me." 

"  I  see  what  it  is,"  said  the  mate,  severely. 
"  You  've  been  drinking  ;  you  've  been  up  to  my 
whisky." 

"  Call  the  crew  up  and  ask  'em,  then,"  said 
Bradd,  desperately. 

"  Call  'em  up  yourself,  you  lunatic,"  said  the 
mate,  loudly  enough  for  the  men  to  hear.  "  If 
anybody  dares  to  play  the  fool  with  me  I  won't 
leave  a  whole  bone  in  his  body,  that's  all." 

In  obedience  to  the  summons  of  Captain  Bradd 
the  crew  came  up,  and  being  requested  by  him 
to  tell  the  mate  that  he  was  the  mate,  and  that 
he  was  at  present  labouring  under  a  delusion, 
stood  silently  nudging  each  other  and  eyeing 
him  uneasily. 

"  Well,"  said  the  latter  at  length,  "  why  don't 
you  speak  and  tell  George  he  's  gone  off  his  'ead 
a  bit  ? " 

"  It  ain't  nothing  to  do  with  us,  sir,"  said  Bill, 
very  respectfully. 

"  But,  damn  it  all,  man,"  said  the  mate,  taking 
a  mighty  grip  of  his  collar,  "you  know  I'm  the 
cap'n,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  O'  course  I  do,  sir,"  said  Bill. 

"  There  you  are,  George,"  said  the  mate,  releas- 
ing him,  and  turning  to  the  frantic  Bradd:  "you 


BREVET    RANK  179 

hear  that?  Now,  look  here,  you  listen  to  me. 
Either  you've  been  drinking,  or  else  your  'ead's 
gone  a  little  bit  off.  You  go  down  and  turn  in, 
and  if  you  don't  give  me  any  more  of  your 
nonsense  I  '11  overlook  it  for  this  once." 

He  ordered  the  crew  forward  again,  and  being 
desirous  of  leaving  some  permanent  mark  of  his 
command  on  the  ship,  had  the  galley  fresh  painted 
in  red  and  blue,  and  a  lot  of  old  stores,  which  he 
had  vainly  condemned  when  mate,  thrown  over- 
board. The  skipper  stood  by  helplessly  while  it 
was  done,  and  then  went  below  of  his  own  accord 
and  turned  in,  as  being  the  only  way  to  retain 
his  sanity,  or,  at  any  rate,  the  clearness  of  head 
which  he  felt  to  be  indispensable  at  this  juncture. 

Time,  instead  of  restoring  the  mate  to  his 
senses,  only  appeared  to  confirm  him  in  his  folly, 
and  the  skipper,  after  another  attempt  to  con- 
vince him,  let  things  drift,  resolving  to  have  him 
put  under  restraint  as  soon  as  they  got  to  port. 

They  reached  Tidescroft  in  the  early  afternoon, 
but  before  they  entered  the  harbour  the  mate,  as 
though  he  had  had  some  subtle  intuition  that  this 
would  be  his  last  command,  called  the  crew  to 
him,  and  read  them  a  touching  little  homily  upon 
their  behaviour  when  they  should  land.  He 
warned  them  of  public-houses  and  other  dangers, 
and  reminded  them  affectingly  of  their  duties  as 


i8o  LIGHT  FREIGHTS 

husbands  and  fathers.  "  Always  go  home  to  your 
wife  and  children,  my  lads,"  he  continued  with 
some  emotion,  "  as  I  go  home  to  mine." 

"  Why,he  ain't  got  none,"  whispered  Bill,  staring. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Bill,"  said  the  cook, "  he  means 
the  cap'n's.     Don't  you  see  he 's  the  cap'n  now." 

It  was  as  clear  as  noonday,  and  the  agitation 
of  the  skipper — a  perfect  Othello  in  his  way— was 
awful.  He  paced  the  deck  incessantly,  casting 
fretful  glances  ashore,  and,  as  the  schooner 
touched  the  side  of  the  quay,  sprang  on  to  the 
bulwarks  and  jumped  ashore.  The  mate  watched 
him  with  an  ill-concealed  grin,  and  then,  having 
made  the  vessel  snug,  went  below  to  strengthen 
himself  with  a  drop  of  the  skipper's  whisky  for 
the  crowning  scene  of  his  play.  He  came  on 
deck  again,  and,  taking  no  heed  of  the  whispers 
of  the  crew,  went  ashore. 

Meantime,  Captain  Bradd  had  reached  his 
house,  and  was  discussing  the  situation  with  his 
astonished  spouse.  She  pooh-poohed  the  idea 
of  the  police  and  the  medical  faculty  as  being 
likely  to  cause  complications  with  the  owners, 
and,  despite  the  remonstrances  of  her  husband, 
insisted  upon  facing  the  mate  alone. 

"  Now  you  go  in  the  kitchen,"  she  said,  looking 
from  the  window.  "  Here  he  comes.  You  see 
how  I  '11  settle  him." 


BREVET    RANK  181 

The  skipper  looked  out  of  the  window  and  saw 
the  unhappy  victim  of  Captain  Zingall  slowly 
approaching.  His  wife  drew  him  away,  and, 
despite  his  remonstrances,  pushed  him  into  the 
next  room  and  closed  the  door. 

She  sat  on  the  sofa  calmly  sewing,  as  the  mate, 
whose  hardihood  was  rapidly  failing  him,  entered. 
Her  manner  gave  him  no  assistance  whatever, 
and  coming  sheepishly  in  he  took  a  chair. 

"  I  've  come  home,"  he  said  at  last. 

"  So  I  see,  Ben,"  said  Mrs.  Bradd,  calmly. 

"  He's  told  her,"  said  the  mate  to  himself. 

"  Children  all  right?"  he  inquired, after  another 
pause. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Bradd,  simply.  "  Little  Joe's 
boots  are  almost  off  his  feet,  though." 

"  Ah,"  said  the  mate,  blankly. 

"  I  've  been  waiting  for  you  to  come,  Ben,"  said 
Mrs.  Bradd  after  a  pause.  "  I  want  you  to  change 
a  five-pound  note  Uncle  Dick  gave  me." 

"Can't  do  it,"  said  the  mate,  briefly.  The 
absence  of  Captain  Bradd  was  disquieting  to  a 
bashful  man  in  such  a  position,  and  he  had  looked 
forward  to  a  stormy  scene  which  was  to  bring 
him  to  his  senses  again. 

"  Show  me  what  you  've  got,"  said  Mrs.  Bradd, 
leaning  forward. 

The  mate  pulled  out  an  old  leather  purse  and 


182  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

counted  the  contents,  two  pounds  and  a  little 
silver. 

"  There  isn't  five  pounds  there,"  said  Mrs.  Bradd, 
"  but  I  may  as  well  take  last  week's  housekeeping 
while  you  've  got  it  out." 

Before  the  mate  could  prevent  her  she  had 
taken  the  two  pounds  and  put  it  in  her  pocket. 
He  looked  at  her  placid  face  in  amazement,  but 
she  met  his  gaze  calmly  and  drummed  oc  the 
table  with  her  thimble. 

"  No,  no,  I  want  the  money  myself,"  said  the 
mate  at  last.  He  put  his  hands  to  his  head  and 
began  to  prepare  for  the  grand  transformation 
scene.  "  My  head 's  gone,"  he  said,  in  a  gurgling 
voice.    "  What  am  I  doing  here  ?    Where  am  I  ? " 

"  Good  gracious,  what 's  the  matter  with  the 
man?"  said  Mrs.  Bradd,  with  a  scream.  She 
suatched  up  a  bowl  of  flowers  and  flung  the 
contents  in  his  face  as  her  husband  burst  into  the 
room.     The  mate  sprang  to  his  feet,  spluttering. 

"What  am  I  doing  here,  Cap'n  Bradd?"  he 
said  in  his  usual  voice. 

"  He  's  come  round  ! "  said  Bradd,  ecstatically. 
"  He 's  come  round.  Oh,  George,  you  have 
been  playing  the  fool.  Don't  you  know  what 
you  've  been  doing  ? " 

The  mate  shook  his  head,  and  stared  round  the 
room.     "  I  thought  we  were  in  London,"  he  said, 


BREVET    RANK  183 

putting  his  hand  to  his  head.  "  You  said  Cap'n 
Zingall  was  coming  aboard.  How  did  we  get 
here  ?     Where  am  I  ? " 

In  a  hurried,  breathless  fashion  the  skipper 
told  him,  the  mate  regarding  him  the  while  with 
a  stare  of  fixed  incredulity. 

"  I  can't  understand  it,"  he  said  at  length.  "  My 
mind  's  a  perfect  blank." 

"  A  perfect  blank,"  said  Mrs.  Bradd,  cheerfully. 
It  might  have  been  accident,  but  she  tapped  her 
pocket  as  she  spoke,  and  the  outwitted  mate  bit 
his  lip  as  he  realised  his  blunder,  and  turned  to 
the  door.  The  couple  watched  him  as  he  slowly 
passed  up  the  street. 

"It's  most  extraordinary,"  said  the  skipper; 
"  the  most  extraordinary  case  I  ever  heard  of." 

"So  it  is,"  said  his  wife,  "and  what's  more 
extraordinary  still  for  you,  Ben,  you  're  going  to 
church  on  Sunday, and  what's  more  extraordinary 
even  than  that,  you  are  going  to  put  two  golden 
sovereigns  in  the  plate." 


TWIN  SPIRITS 

THE  "  Terrace,"  consisting  of  eight  gaunt 
houses,  faced  the  sea,  while  the  back 
rooms  commanded  a  view  of  the  ancient  little 
town  some  half-mile  distant.  The  beach,  a  waste 
of  shingle,  was  desolate  and  bare  except  for  a 
ruined  bathing-machine  and  a  few  pieces  of  linen 
drying  in  the  winter  sunshine.  In  the  offing  tiny 
steamers  left  a  trail  of  smoke,  while  sailing-craft, 
their  canvas  glistening  in  the  sun,  slowly  melted 
from  the  sight.  On  all  these  things  the  "  Terrace  " 
turned  a  stolid  eye,  and,  counting  up  its  gains 
of  the  previous  season,  wondered  whether  it 
could  hold  on  to  the  next.  It  was  a  discon- 
tented "  Terrace,"  and  had  become  prematurely 
soured  by  a  Board  which  refused  them  a  pier, 
a  bandstand,  and  illuminated  gardens. 

From  the  front  windows  of  the  third  story  of 
No.  i  Mrs.  Cox,  gazing  out  to  sea,  sighed  softly. 
The  season  had  been  a  bad  one,  and  Mr.  Cox 
had  been  even  more  troublesome  than  usual 
owing  to  tightness  in  the  money  market  and  the 

184 


TWIN    SPIRITS  185 

avowed  preference  of  local  publicans  for  cash  trans- 
actions, to  assets  in  chalk  and  slate.  In  Mr.  Cox's 
memory  there  never  had  been  such  a  drought,  and 
his  crop  of  patience  was  nearly  exhausted. 

He  had  in  his  earlier  days  attempted  to  do 
a  little  work,  but  his  health  had  suffered  so  much 
that  his  wife  had  become  alarmed  for  his  safety. 
Work  invariably  brought  on  a  cough,  and  as  he 
came  from  a  family  whose  lungs  had  formed 
the  staple  conversation  of  their  lives,  he  had 
been  compelled  to  abandon  it,  and  at  last  it 
came  to  be  understood  that  if  he  would  only 
consent  to  amuse  himself,  and  not  get  into 
trouble,  nothing  more  would  be  expected  of  him. 
It  was  not  much  of  a  life  for  a  man  of  spirit, 
and  at  times  it  became  so  unbearable  that  Mr. 
Cox  would  disappear  for  days  together  in  search 
of  work,  returning  unsuccessful  after  many  days 
with  nerves  shattered  in  the  pursuit. 

Mrs.  Cox's  meditations  were  disturbed  by  a 
knock  at  the  front  door,  and,  the  servants  having 
been  discharged  for  the  season,  she  hurried  down- 
stairs to  open  it,  not  without  a  hope  of  belated 
lodgers — invalids  in  search  of  an  east  wind.  A 
stout,  middle-aged  woman  in  widow's  weeds 
stood  on  the  door-step. 

"Glad  to  see  you,  my  dear,"  said  the  visitor, 
kissing  her  loudiy. 


186  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mrs.  Cox  gave  her  a  subdued  caress  in  return, 
not  from  any  lack  of  feeling,  but  because  she  did 
everything  in  a  quiet  and  spiritless  fashion. 

"  I  *ve  got  my  Uncle  Joseph  from  London 
staying  with  us,"  continued  the  visitor,  following 
her  into  the  hall,  "  so  I  just  got  into  the  train  and 
brought  him  down  for  a  blow  at  the  sea." 

A  question  on  Mrs.  Cox's  lips  died  away  as 
a  very  small  man  who  had  been  hidden  by  his 
niece  came  into  sight. 

"  My  Uncle  Joseph,"  said  Mrs.  Berry ;  "  Mr. 
Joseph  Piper,"  she  added. 

Mr.  Piper  shook  hands,  and  after  a  performance 
on  the  door-mat,  protracted  by  reason  of  a 
festoon  of  hemp,  followed  his  hostess  into  the 
faded  drawing-room. 

"And  Mr.  Cox?"  inquired  Mrs.  Berry,  in  a 
cold  voice. 

Mrs.  Cox  shook  her  head.  "  He 's  been  away 
this  last  three  days,"  she  said,  flushing  slightly. 

"  Looking  for  work  ? "  suggested  the  visitor. 

Mrs.  Cox  nodded,  and,  placing  the  tips  of  her 
fingers  together,  fidgeted  gently. 

"Well,  I  hope  he  finds  it,"  said  Mrs.  Berry, 
with  more  venom  than  the  remark  seemed  to 
require.     "  Why,  where 's  your  marble  clock  ? " 

Mrs.  Cox  coughed.  "  It's  being  mended,"  she 
said,  confusedly. 


TWIN    SPIRITS  187 

Mrs.  Berry  eyed  her  anxiously.  "  Don't  mind 
him,  my  dear,"  she  said,  with  a  jerk  of  her  head 
in  the  direction  of  Mr.  Piper,  "he's  nobody. 
Wouldn't  you  like  to  go  out  on  the  beach  a 
little  while,  uncle?" 

"  No,'  said  Mr.  Piper. 

"  I  suppose  Mr.  Cox  took  the  clock  for  com- 
pany," remarked  Mrs.  Berry,  after  a  hostile  stare 
at  her  relative. 

Mrs.  Cox  sighed  and  shook  her  head.  It  was 
no  use  pretending  with  Mrs.  Berry. 

"  He  '11  pawn  the  clock  and  anything  else  he 
can  lay  his  hands  on,  and  when  he 's  drunk  it  up 
come  home  to  be  made  a  fuss  of,"  continued 
Mrs.  Berry,  heatedly;  "that 's  you  men." 

Her  glance  was  so  fiery  that  Mr.  Joseph 
Piper  was  unable  to  allow  the  remark  to  pass 
unchallenged. 

"/never  pawned  a  clock,"  he  said,  stroking  his 
little  grey  head. 

"  That's  a  lot  to  boast  of,  isn't  it?"  demanded 
his  niece ;  "  if  I  hadn't  got  anything  better  than 
that  to  boast  of  I  wouldn't  boast  at  all." 

Mr.  Piper  said  that  he  was  not  boasting. 

"  It  '11  go  on  like  this,  my  dear,  till  you  're 
ruined,"  said  the  sympathetic  Mrs.  Berry,  turning 
to  her  friend  again  ;  "  what  '11  you  do  then  ? " 

M  Yes,  I  know,"  said  Mrs.  Cox.     "  I  've  had  a 


188  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

bad  season,  too,  and  I  'm  so  anxious  about  him 
in  spite  of  it  all.  1  can't  sleep  at  nights  for 
fearing  that  he's  in  some  trouble.  I'm  sure  I 
laid  awake  half  last  night  crying." 

Mrs.  Berry  sniffed  loudly,  and  Mr.  Piper 
making  a  remark  in  a  low  voice,  turned  on  him 
with  ferocity. 

"What  did  you  say?"  she  demanded. 

"  I  said  it  does  her  credit,"  said  Mr.  Piper, 
firmly. 

"  I  might  have  known  it  was  nonsense,"  retorted 
his  niece,  hotly.  "  Can't  you  get  him  to  take  the 
pledge,  Mary?" 

"  I  couldn't  insult  him  like  that,"  said  Mrs.  Cox, 
with  a  shiver ;  "  you  don't  know  his  pride.  He 
never  admits  that  he  drinks  ;  he  says  that  he 
only  takes  a  little  for  his  indigestion.  He'd 
never  forgive  me.  When  he  pawns  the  things 
he  pretends  that  somebody  has  stolen  them, 
and  the  way  he  goes  on  at  me  for  my  care- 
lessness is  alarming.  He  gets  worked  up  to 
such  a  pitch  that  sometimes  I  almost  think  he 
believes  it  himself." 

"Rubbish,"  said  Mrs.  Berry,  tartly,  "you're  too 
easy  with  him." 

Mrs.  Cox  sighed,  and,  leaving  the  room, 
returned  with  a  bottle  of  wine  which  was  port 
to   the  look  and  red-currant  to  the   taste,  and 


TWIN    SPIRITS  189 

a  seed-cake  of  formidable  appearance.  The 
visitors  attacked  these  refreshments  mildly,  Mr. 
Piper  sipping  his  wine  with  an  obtrusive  care- 
fulness which  his  niece  rightly  regarded  as  a 
reflection  upon  her  friend's  hospitality. 

"  What  Cox  wants  is  a  shock,"  she  said ; 
"  you  've  dropped  some  crumbs  on  the  carpet, 
uncle." 

Mr,  Piper  apologised  and  said  he  had  got  his 
eye  on  them,  and  would  pick  them  up  when  he 
had  finished  and  pick  up  his  niece's  at  the 
same  time  to  prevent  her  stooping.  Mrs.  Berry, 
in  an  aside  to  Mrs.  Cox,  said  that  her  Uncle 
Joseph's  tongue  had  got  itself  disliked  on  both 
sides  of  the  family. 

"  And  I  'd  give  him  one,"  said  Mrs.  Berry, 
returning  again  to  the  subject  of  Mr.  Cox  and 
shocks.  "  He  has  a  gentleman's  life  of  it  here, 
and  he  would  look  rather  silly  if  you  were  sold 
up  and  he  had  to  do  something  for  his  living." 

"  It 's  putting  away  the  things  that  is  so  bad," 
said  Mrs.  Cox,  shaking  her  head ;  "  that  clock 
won't  last  him  out,  I  know ;  he'll  come  back  and 
take  some  of  the  other  things.  Every  spring 
I  have  to  go  through  his  pockets  for  the  tickets 
and  get  the  things  out  again,  and  I  mustn't  say 
a  word  for  fear  of  hurting  his  feelings.  If  I  do 
he  goes  off  again." 


190  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  If  I  were  you,"  said  Mrs.  Berry,  emphatically, 
"  I  'd  get  behind  with  the  rent  or  something 
and  have  the  brokers  in.  He'd  look  rather 
astonished  if  he  came  home  and  saw  a  broker's 
man  sitting  in  a  chair " 

"  He  'd  look  more  astonished  if  he  saw  him 
sitting  in  a  flower-pot,"  suggested  the  caustic 
Mr.  Piper. 

"I  couldn't  do  that,"  said  Mrs.  Cox.  "I 
couldn't  stand  the  disgrace,  even  though  I  knew 
I  could  pay  him  out.  As  it  is,  Cox  is  always 
setting  his  family  above  mine." 

Mrs.  Berry,  without  ceasing  to  stare  Mr. 
Piper  out  of  countenance,  shook  her  head,  and, 
folding  her  arms,  again  stated  her  opinion  that 
Mr.  Cox  wanted  a  shock,  and  expressed  a  great 
yearning  to  be  the  humble  means  of  giving  him 
one. 

"  If  you  can't  have  the  brokers  in,  get  some- 
body to  pretend  to  be  one,"  she  said,  sharply ; 
"that  would  prevent  him  pawning  any  more 
things  at  any  rate.  Why  wouldn't  he  do?"  she 
added,  nodding  at  her  uncle. 

Anxiety  on  Mrs.  Cox's  face  was  exaggerated 
on  that  of  Mr.  Piper. 

"  Let  uncle  pretend  to  be  a  broker's  man  in 
for  the  rent,"  continued  the  excitable  lady, 
rapidly.      "  When  Mr.   Cox   turns   up   after  his 


TWIN    SPIRITS  191 

spree,  tell  him  what  his  doings  have  brought  you 
to,  and  say  you  '11  have  to  go  to  the  workhouse." 

"  I  look  like  a  broker's  man,  don't  I  ? "  said 
Mr.  Piper,  in  a  voice  more  than  tinged  with 
sarcasm. 

"Yes,"  said  his  niece,  "that's  what  put  it  into 
my  head." 

"  It's  very  kind  of  you,  dear,  and  very  kind  of 
Mr.  Piper,"  said  Mrs.  Cox,  "  but  I  couldn't  think 
of  it,  I  really  couldn't. 

"  Uncle  would  be  delighted,"  said  Mrs.  Berry, 
with  a  wilful  blinking  of  plain  facts.  "  He 's  got 
nothing  better  to  do ;  it's  a  nice  house  and  good 
food,  and  he  could  sit  at  the  open  window  and 
sniff  at  the  sea  all  day  long." 

Mr.  Piper  sniffed  even  as  she  spoke,  but  not  at 
the  sea. 

"  And  I  '11  come  for  him  the  day  after  to- 
morrow," said  Mrs.  Berry. 

It  was  the  old  story  of  the  stronger  will : 
Mrs.  Cox  after  a  feeble  stand  gave  way  alto- 
gether, and  Mr.  Piper's  objections  were  demo- 
lished before  he  had  given  them  full  utterance. 
Mrs.  Berry  went  off  alone  after  dinner,  secretly 
glad  to  have  got  rid  of  Mr.  Piper,  who  was 
making  a  self-invited  stay  at  her  house  of 
indefinite  duration  ;  and  Mr.  Piper,  in  his  new 
role  of  broker's  man,  essayed  the  part  with  as 


192  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

much  help  as  a  clay  pipe  and  a  pint  of  beer 
could  afford  him. 

That  day  and  the  following  he  spent  amid  the 
faded  grandeurs  of  the  drawing-room,  gazing 
longingly  at  the  wide  expanse  of  beach  and  the 
tumbling  sea  beyond.  The  house  was  almost 
uncannily  quiet,  an  occasional  tinkle  of  metal  or 
crash  of  china  from  the  basement  giving  the 
only  indication  of  the  industrious  Mrs.  Cox ; 
but  on  the  day  after  the  quiet  of  the  house  was 
broken  by  the  return  of  its  master,  whose  annoy- 
ance, when  he  found  the  drawing-room  clock 
stolen  and  a  man  in  possession,  was  alarming 
in  its  vehemence.  He  lectured  his  wife  severely 
on  her  mismanagement,  and  after  some  hesitation 
announced  his  intention  of  going  through  her 
books.  Mrs.  Cox  gave  them  to  him,  and,  armed 
with  pen  and  ink  and  four  square  inches  of  pink 
blotting-paper,  he  performed  feats  of  balancing 
which  made  him  a  very  Blondin  of  finance. 

"  I  shall  have  to  get  something  to  do,"  he  said, 
gloomily,  laying  down  his  pen. 

"  Yes,  dear,"  said  his  wife. 

Mr.  Cox  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and,  wiping 
his  pen  on  the  blotting-paper,  gazed  in  a  specu- 
lative fashion  round  the  room.  "  Have  you  any 
money?"  he  inquired. 

For  reply  his  wife  rummaged  in  her  pocket  and 


TWIN    SPIRITS  193 

after  a  lengthy  search  produced  a  bunch  of  keys,  a 
thimble,  a  needle-case,  two  pocket-handkerchiefs, 
and  a  halfpenny.  She  put  this  last  on  the  table, 
and  Mr.  Cox,  whose  temper  had  been  mounting 
steadily,  threw  it  to  the  other  end  of  the  room. 

"  I  can't  help  it,"  said  Mrs.  Cox,  wiping  her  eyes. 
"  I  'm  sure  I  've  done  all  I  could  to  keep  a  home 
together.     I  can't  even  raise  money  on  anything." 

Mr.  Cox,  who  had  been  glancing  round  the 
room  again,  looked  up  sharply. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"The  broker's  man,"  said  Mrs.  Cox,  nervously; 
"he's  made  an  inventory  of  everything,  and  he 
holds  us  responsible." 

Mr.  Cox  leaned  back  in  his  chair.  "This  is 
a  pretty  state  of  things,"  he  blurted,  wildly. 
"  Here  have  I  been  walking  my  legs  off  looking 
for  work,  any  work  so  long  as  it 's  honest  labour, 
and  I  come  back  to  find  a  broker's  man  sitting  in 
my  own  house  and  drinking  up  my  beer." 

He  rose  and  walked  up  and  down  the  room,  and 
Mrs.  Cox,  whose  nerves  were  hardly  equal  to  the 
occasion,  slipped  on  her  bonnet  and  announced  her 
intention  of  trying  to  obtain  a  few  necessaries  on 
credit.  Her  husband  waited  in  indignant  silence 
until  he  heard  the  front-door  close  behind  her, 
and  then  stole  softly  upstairs  to  have  a  look  at 
the  fell  destroyer  of  his  domestic  happiness. 

N 


194  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Piper,  who  was  already  very  tired  of  his 
imprisonment,  looked  up  curiously  as  he  heard 
the  door  pushed  open,  and  discovered  an  elderly 
gentleman  with  an  appearance  of  great  stateliness 
staring  at  him.  In  the  ordinary  way  he  was  one 
of  the  meekest  of  men,  but  the  insolence  of  this 
stare  was  outrageous.  Mr.  Piper,  opening  his 
mild  blue  eyes  wide,  stared  back.  Whereupon  Mr. 
Cox,  fumbling  in  his  vest-pocket,  found  a  pair  of 
folders,  and  putting  them  astride  his  nose,  gazed 
at  the  pseudo-broker's  man  with  crushing  effect. 

"What  do  you  want  here?"  he  asked,  at 
length.  "  Are  you  the  father  of  one  of  the 
servants  ?  " 

"  I  'm  the  father  of  all  the  servants  in  the 
house,"  said  Mr.  Piper,  sweetly. 

"  Don't  answer  me,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Cox,  with 
much  pomposity;  "you're  an  eyesore  to  an 
honest  man,  a  vulture,  a  harpy." 

Mr.  Piper  pondered. 

"  How  do  you  know  what 's  an  eyesore  to 
an  honest  man  ? "  he  asked,  at  length. 

Mr.  Cox  smiled  scornfully. 

"  Where  is  your  warrant  or  order,  or  whatever 
you  call  it?"  he  demanded. 

"  I  've  shown  it  to  Mrs.  Cox,"  said  Mr.  Piper. 

"  Show  it  to  me,"  said  the  other. 

"  I  've   complied  with  the  law  by  showing  it 


TWIN    SPIRITS  195 

once,"  said  Mr.  Piper,  bluffing,  "and  I'm  not 
going  to  show  it  again." 

Mr.  Cox  stared  at  him  disdainfully,  beginning 
at  his  little  sleek  grey  head  and  travelling  slowly 
downwards  to  his  untidy  boots  and  then  back 
again.  He  repeated  this  several  times,  until 
Mr.  Piper,  unable  to  bear  it  patiently,  began  to 
eye  him  in  the  same  fashion. 

"  What  are  you  looking  at,  vulture  ? "  demanded 
the  incensed  Mr.  Cox. 

"Three  spots  o'  grease  on  a  dirty  weskit," 
replied  Mr.  Piper,  readily,  "a  pair  o'  bow  legs  in 
a  pair  o'  some"body  else's  trousers,  and  a  shabby 
coat  wore  under  the  right  arm,  with  carrying 
off" — he  paused  a  moment  as  though  to  make 
sure — "  with  carrying  off  of  a  drawing-room  clock." 

He  regretted  this  retort  almost  before  he  had 
finished  it,  and  rose  to  his  feet  with  a  faint  cry 
of  alarm  as  the  heated  Mr.  Cox  first  locked  the 
door  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket  and  then 
threw  up  the  window. 

"  Vulture  !  "  he  cried,  in  a  terrible  voice. 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  the  trembling  Mr.  Piper. 

Mr.  Cox  waved  his  hand  towards  the  window. 

"  Fly,"  he  said,  briefly. 

Mr.  Piper  tried  to  form  his  white  lips  into  a 
smile,  and  his  knees  trembled  beneath  him. 

"Did    you    hear    what    I    said?"    demanded 


196  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Cox.  "What  are  you  waiting  for?  If  yon 
don't  fly  out  of  the  window  I  '11  throw  you  out." 

"Don't  touch  me,"  screamed  Mr.  Piper,  retreat- 
ing behind  a  table,  "it's  all  a  mistake.  All  a 
joke.     I  'm  not  a  broker's  man.     Ha!  ha!" 

"Eh? "said  the  other;  "not  a  broker's  man? 
What  are  you,  then  ?  " 

In  eager,  trembling  tones  Mr.  Piper  told  him, 
and,  gathering  confidence  as  he  proceeded, 
related  the  conversation  which  had  led  up  to 
his  imposture.  Mr.  Cox  listened  in  a  dazed 
fashion,  and  as  he  concluded  threw  himself  into 
a  chair,  and  gave  way  to  a  terrible  outburst  of 
grief. 

"  The  way  I  've  worked  for  that  woman,"  he 
said,  brokenly,  "  to  think  it  should  come  to  this ! 
The  deceit  of  the  thing  ;  the  wickedness  of  it. 
My  heart  is  broken  ;  I  shall  never  be  the  same 
man  again — never ! " 

Mr.  Piper  made  a  sympathetic  noise. 

"It's  been  very  unpleasant  for  me,"  he  said, 
"but  my  niece  is  so  masterful." 

•'  I  don't  blame  you,"  said  Mr.  Cox,  kindly  ; 
"  shake  hands." 

They  shook  hands  solemnly,  and  Mr.  Piper, 
muttering  something  about  a  draught,  closed 
the  window. 

"  You   might   have   been    killed    in   trying   to 


TWIN    SPIRITS  197 

jump  out  of  that  window,"  said  Mr.  Cox  ;  "  fancy 
the  feelings  of  those  two  deceitful  women  then." 

"  Fancy  my  feelings ! "  said  Mr.  Piper,  with  a 
shudder.  "  Playing  with  fire,  that 's  what  I 
call  it.  My  niece  is  coming  this  afternoon ;  it 
would  serve  her  right  if  you  gave  her  a  fright 
by  telling  her  you  had  killed  me.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  a  lesson  to  her  not  to  be  so  officious." 

"  It  would  serve  'em  both  right,"  agreed  Mr.  Cox ; 
"  only  Mrs.  Berry  might  send  for  the  police." 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  said  Mr.  Piper 
fondling  his  chin. 

"  I  might  frighten  my  wife,"  mused  the  amiable 
Mr.  Cox ;  "  it  would  be  a  lesson  to  her  not  to 
be  deceitful  again.  And,  by  Jove,  I  '11  get  some 
money  from  her  to  escape  with ;  I  know  she 's 
got  some,  and  if  she  hasn't  she  will  have  in  a 
day  or  two.  There's  a  little  pub  at  Newstead, 
eight  miles  from  here,  where  we  could  be  as 
happy  as  fighting-cocks  with  a  fiver  or  two. 
And  while  we're  there  enjoying  ourselves  my 
wife  '11  be  half  out  of  her  mind  trying  to  account 
for  your  disappearance  to  Mrs.  Berry." 

"It  sounds  all  right,"  said  Mr.  Piper,  cautiously, 
"but  she  won't  believe  you.  You  don't  look  wild 
enough  to  have  killed  anybody." 

"  I  '11  look  wild  enough  when  the  time  comes," 
said   the  other,  nodding.     "You  get  on  to  the 


198  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

'  White  Horse '  at  Newstead  and  wait  for  me. 
I  '11  let  you  out  at  the  back  way.     Come  along." 

"  But  you  said  it  was  eight  miles,"  said  Mr.  Piper. 

"Eight  miles  easy  walking,"  rejoined  Mr.  Cox. 
"Or  there's  a  train  at  three  o'clock.  There's 
a  sign-post  at  the  corner  there,  and  if  you  don't 
hurry  I  shall  be  able  to  catch  you  up.    Good-bye." 

He  patted  the  hesitating  Mr.  Piper  on  the 
back,  and  letting  him  out  through  the  garden, 
indicated  the  road.  Then  he  returned  to  the 
drawing-room,  and  carefully  rumpling  his  hair, 
tore  his  collar  from  the  stud,  overturned  a  couple 
of  chairs  and  a  small  table,  and  sat  down  to  wait 
as  patiently  as  he  could  for  the  return  of  his  wife. 

He  waited  about  twenty  minutes,  and  then 
he  heard  a  key  turn  in  the  door  below  and  his 
wife's  footsteps  slowly  mounting  the  stairs.  By 
the  time  she  reached  the  drawing-room  his  tableau 
was  complete,  and  she  fell  back  with  a  faint 
shriek  at  the  frenzied  figure  which  met  her  eyes. 

"  Hush,"  said  the  tragedian,  putting  his  finger 
to  his  lips. 

"  Henry,  what  is  it  ?  "  cried  Mrs.  Cox.  "  What 
is  the  matter  ?  " 

"The  broker's  man,"  said  her  husband,  in  a 
thrilling  whisper.  "We  had  words— he  struck 
me.     In  a  fit  of  fury  I — I — choked  him." 

"  Much  ? "  inquired  the  bewildered  woman, 


STUDYING   THE   SIGN    TOST 


TWIN    SPIRITS  199 

"  Much  ?  "  repeated  Mr.  Cox,  frantically.  "  I  've 
killed  him  and  hidden  the  body.  Now  I  must 
escape  and  fly  the  country." 

The  bewilderment  on  Mrs.  Cox's  face  increased ; 
she  was  trying  to  reconcile  her  husband's  state- 
ment with  a  vision  of  a  trim  little  figure  which 
she  had  seen  ten  minutes  before  with  its  head 
tilted  backwards  studying  the  sign  -  post,  and 
which  she  was  now  quite  certain  was  Mr.  Piper. 

"  Are  you  sure  he  's  dead?  "  she  inquired. 

"Dead  as  a  door-nail,"  replied  Mr.  Cox, 
promptly.  "  I  'd  no  idea  he  was  such  a  delicate 
little  man.  What  am  I  to  do?  Every  moment 
adds  to  my  danger.  I  must  fly.  How  much 
money  have  you  got  ?  " 

The  question  explained  everything.  Mrs.  Cox 
closed  her  lips  with  a  snap  and  shook  her  head. 

"  Don't  play  the  fool,"  said  her  husband,  wildly; 
"my  neck's  in  danger." 

"  I  haven't  got  anything,"  asseverated  Mrs. 
Cox.  "It's  no  good  looking  like  that,  Henry, 
I  can't  make  money." 

Mr.  Cox's  reply  was  Interrupted  by  a  loud 
knock  at  the  hall-door,  which  he  was  pleased 
to  associate  with  the  police.  It  gave  him  a  fine 
opportunity  for  melodrama,  in  the  midst  of  which 
his  wife,  rightly  guessing  that  Mrs.  Berry  had 
returned  according  to  arrangement,  went  to  the 


200  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

door  to  admit  her.  The  visitor  was  only  busy 
two  minutes  on  the  door-mat,  but  in  that  time 
Mrs.  Cox  was  able  in  low  whispers  to  apprise 
her  of  the  state  of  affairs. 

"That's  my  uncle  all  over,"  said  Mrs.  Berry, 
fiercely;  "that's  just  the  mean  trick  I  should 
have  expected  of  him.  You  leave  'em  to  me, 
my  dear." 

She  followed  her  friend  into  the  drawing-room, 
and  having  shaken  hands  with  Mr.  Cox,  drew 
her  handkerchief  from  her  pocket  and  applied 
it  to  her  eyes. 

"She's  told  me  all  about  it,"  she  said,  nodding 
at  Mrs.  Cox,  "  and  it 's  worse  than  you  think, 
much  worse.  It  isn't  a  broker's  man — it's  my 
poor  uncle,  Joseph  Piper." 

"Your  uncle !  "  repeated  Mr.  Cox,  reeling  back; 
"the  broker's  man  your  uncle}" 

Mrs.  Berry  sniffed.  "  It  was  a  little  joke  on 
our  part,"  she  admitted,  sinking  into  a  chair  and 
holding  her  handkerchief  to  her  face.  "Poor 
uncle  ;  but  I  dare  say  he's  happier  where  he  is." 

Mr.  Cox  wiped  his  brow,  and  then,  leaning 
his  elbow  on  the  mantelpiece,  stared  at  her  in 
well-simulated  amazement. 

"See  what  your  joking  has  led  to,"  he  said,  at 
last.  "  I  have  got  to  be  a  wanderer  over  the  face 
of  the  earth,  all  on  account  of  your  jokes." 


TWIN    SPIRITS  201 

"  It  was  an  accident,"  murmured  Mrs.  Berry, 
"  and  nobody  knows  he  was  here,  and  I  'm 
sure,  poor  dear,  he  hadn't  got  much  to  live 
for." 

"It's  very  kind  of  you  to  look  at  it  in  that 
way,  Susan,  I  'm  sure,"  said  Mrs.  Cox. 

"  I  was  never  one  to  make  mischief,"  said  Mrs. 
Berry.  "  It 's  no  good  crying  over  spilt  milk. 
If  uncle's  killed  he's  killed,  and  there's  an 
end  of  it.  But  I  don't  think  it 's  quite  safe  for 
Mr.  Cox  to  stay  here." 

"Just  what  I  say,"  said  that  gentleman,  eagerly; 
"  but  I  've  got  no  money." 

"  You  get  away,"  said  Mrs.  Berry,  with  a 
warning  glance  at  her  friend,  and  nodding  to 
emphasise  her  words  ;  "  leave  us  some  address 
to  write  to,  and  we  must  try  and  scrape  twenty 
or  thirty  pounds  to  send  you." 

"  Thirty,"  said  Mr.  Cox,  hardly  able  to  believe 
his  ears. 

Mrs.  Berry  nodded.  "You'll  have  to  make 
that  do  to  go  on  with,"  she  said,  pondering. 
"  And  as  soon  as  you  get  it  you  had  better  get 
as  far  away  as  possible  before  poor  uncle  is  dis- 
covered.   Where  are  we  to  send  the  money?" 

Mr.  Cox  affected  to  consider. 

"The  'White  Horse,'  Newstead,"  he  said  at 
length,  in  a  whisper ;  "  better  write  it  down." 


202  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mrs.  Berry  obeyed ;  and  this  business  being 
completed,  Mr.  Cox,  after  trying  in  vain  to 
obtain  a  shilling  or  two  cash  in  hand,  bade  them 
a  pathetic  farewell  and  went  off  down  the  path, 
for  some  reason  best  known  to  himself,  on  tiptoe. 

For  the  first  two  days  Messrs.  Cox  and  Piper 
waited  with  exemplary  patience  for  the  remit- 
tance, the  demands  of  the  landlord,  a  man  of 
coarse  fibre,  being  met  in  the  meantime  by  the 
latter  gentleman  from  his  own  slender  resources. 
They  were  both  reasonable  men,  and  knew  from 
experience  the  difficulty  of  raising  money  at 
short  notice ;  but  on  the  fourth  day,  their  funds 
being  nearly  exhausted,  an  urgent  telegram  was 
dispatched  to  Mrs.  Cox. 

Mr.  Cox  was  alone  when  the  reply  came,  and 
Mr.  Piper,  returning  to  the  inn-parlour,  was 
amazed  and  distressed  at  his  friend's  appear- 
ance. Twice  he  had  to  address  him  before  he 
seemed  to  be  aware  of  his  presence,  and  then 
Mr.  Cox,  breathing  hard  and  staring  at  him 
strangely,  handed  him  the  message. 

"Eh?"  said  Mr.  Piper,  in  amaze,  as  he  read 
slowly  :  " '  No  —  need  —  send  —  money  —  Uncle  — 
Joseph— has— come— back.— -Berry.'  What  does 
it  mean?     Is  she  mad?" 

Mr.  Cox  shook  his  head,  and  taking  the  paper 


TWIN    SPIRITS  203 

from  him,  held  it  at  arm's  length  and  regarded 
it  at  an  angle. 

"  How  can  you  be  there  when  you  're  supposed 
to  be  dead  ? "  he  said,  at  length. 

"  How  can   I  be  there  when   I  'm  here  ? "  re- 
joined Mr.  Piper,  no  less  reasonably. 

Both  gentlemen  lapsed  into  a  wondering  silence, 
devoted  to  the  attempted  solution  of  their  own 
riddles.  Finally  Mr.  Cox,  seized  with  a  bright 
idea  that  the  telegram  had  got  altered  in  trans- 
mission, went  off  to  the  post-office  and  dispatched 
another,  which  went  straight  to  the  heart  of 
things : — 

"  Don't  —  understand  —  is  —  Uncle  — Joseph  — 
alive?" 

A  reply  was  brought  to  the  inn-parlour  an 
hour  later  on.  Mr.  Cox  opened  it,  gave  one 
glance  at  it,  and  then  with  a  suffocating  cry 
handed  it  to  the  other.  Mr.  Piper  took  it 
gingerly,  and  his  eyebrows  almost  disappeared 
as  he  read  : — 

"Yes — smoking — in — drawing-room." 

His  first  strong  impression  was  that  It  was  a 
case  for  the  Psychical  Research  Society,  but 
this  romantic  view  faded  in  favour  of  a  simple 
solution,  propounded  by  Mr.  Cox  with  much 
crispness,  that  Mrs.  Berry  was  leaving  the 
realms  of  fact  for  those  of  romance.     His  actual 


204  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

words  were  shorter,  but  the  meaning  was  the 
same. 

"  I  '11  go  home  and  ask  to  see  you,"  he  said, 
fiercely ;  "  that  '11  bring  things  to  a  head,  I  should 
think." 

"And  she'll  say  I've  gone  back  to  London, 
perhaps,"  said  Mr.  Piper,  gifted  with  sudden 
clearness  of  vision.  "You  can't  show  her  cp 
unless  you  take  me  with  you,  and  that  '11  show  us 
up.   That 's  her  artfulness  ;  that 's  Susan  all  over." 

"She's  a  wicked,  untruthful  woman,"  gasped 
Mr.  Cox. 

"  I  never  did  like  Susan,"  said  Mr.  Piper,  with 
acerbity,  "  never." 

Mr.  Cox  said  he  could  easily  understand  It, 
and  then,  as  a  forlorn  hope,  sat  down  and  wrote 
a  long  letter  to  his  wife,  in  which,  after  dwelling 
at  great  length  on  the  lamentable  circumstances 
surrounding  the  sudden  demise  of  Mr.  Piper,  he 
bade  her  thank  Mrs.  Berry  for  her  well-meant 
efforts  to  ease  his  mind,  and  asked  for  the 
immediate  dispatch  of  the  money  promised. 

A  reply  came  the  following  evening  from  Mrs. 
Berry  herself.  It  was  a  long  letter,  and  not  only 
long,  but  badly  written  and  crossed.  It  began 
with  the  weather,  asked  after  Mr.  Cox's  health, 
and  referred  to  the  writer's ;  described  with 
much  minuteness  a  strange  headache  which  had 


TWIN    SPIRITS  205 

attacked  Mrs.  Cox,  together  with  a  long  list 
of  the  remedies  prescribed  and  the  effects  of 
each,  and  wound  up  in  an  out-of-the-way  corner, 
in  a  vein  of  cheery  optimism  which  reduced 
both  readers  to  the  verge  of  madness. 

"  Dear  Uncle  Joseph  has  quite  recovered,  and, 
in  spite  of  a  little  nervousness — he  was  always 
rather  timid — at  meeting  you  again,  has  con- 
sented to  go  to  the  '  White  Horse '  to  satisfy  you 
that  he  is  alive.  I  dare  say  he  will  be  with  you 
as  soon  as  this  letter — perhaps  help  you  to 
read  it." 

Mr.  Cox  laid  the  letter  down  with  extreme 
care,  and,  coughing  gently,  glanced  in  a  sheepish 
fashion  at  the  goggle-eyed  Mr.  Piper. 

For  some  time  neither  of  them  spoke.  Mr. 
Cox  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence  and — when 
he  had  finished — Mr.  Piper  said  "  Hush." 

"  Besides,  it  does  no  good,"  he  added. 

"It  does  me  good,"  said  Mr.  Cox,  recommencing. 

Mr.  Piper  held  up  his  hand  with  a  startled 
gesture  for  silence.  The  words  died  away  on 
his  friend's  lips  as  a  familiar  voice  was  heard  in 
the  passage,  and  the  next  moment  Mrs.  Berry 
entered  the  room  and  stood  regarding  them. 

"  I  ran  down  by  the  same  train  to  make  sure 
you  came,  uncle,"  she  remarked.  "  How  long 
have  you  been  here?" 


206  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Mr.  Piper  moistened  his  lips  and  gazed  wildly 
at  Mr.  Cox  for  guidance. 

"'Bout — 'bout  five  minutes,"  he  stammered. 

"We  were  so  glad  dear  uncle  wasn't  hurt 
much,"  continued  Mrs.  Berry,  smiling,  and  shak- 
ing her  head  at  Mr.  Cox  ;  "  but  the  idea  of  your 
burying  him  in  the  geranium-bed ;  we  haven't 
got  him  clean  yet." 

Mr.  Piper,  giving  utterance  to  uncouth  noises, 
quitted  the  room  hastily,  but  Mr.  Cox  sat  still 
and  stared  at  her  dumbly. 

"Weren't  you  surprised  to  see  him?"  inquired 
his  tormentor. 

"  Not  after  your  letter,"  said  Mr.  Cox,  finding 
his  voice  at  last,  and  speaking  with  an  attempt 
at  chilly  dignity.  "  Nothing  could  surprise  me 
much  after  that." 

Mrs.  Berry  smiled  again. 

"  Ah,  I  've  got  another  little  surprise  for  you," 
she  said,  briskly.  "  Mrs.  Cox  was  so  upset  at 
the  idea  of  being  alone  while  you  were  a  wanderer 
over  the  face  of  the  earth,  that  she  and  I  have 
gone  into  partnership.  We  have  had  a  proper 
deed  drawn  up,  so  that  now  there  are  two  of  us 
to  look  after  things.     Eh  ?     What  did  you  say  ? " 

"I  was  just  thinking,"  said  Mr.  Cox. 


SAM'S  BOY 

f"  T  was  getting  late  in  the  afternoon  as  Master 
A  Jones,  in  a  somewhat  famished  condition, 
strolled  up  Aldgate,  with  a  keen  eye  on  the 
gutter,  in  search  of  anything  that  would  serve 
him  for  his  tea.  Too  late,  he  wished  that  he 
had  saved  some  of  the  stale  bread  and  damaged 
fruit  which  had  constituted  his  dinner. 

Aldgate  proving  barren,  he  turned  up  into 
the  quieter  Minories,  skilfully  dodging  the  me- 
chanical cuff  of  the  constable  at  the  corner  as 
he  passed,  and  watching  with  some  interest  the 
efforts  of  a  stray  mongrel  to  get  itself  adopted. 
Its  victim  had  sworn  at  it,  cut  at  it  with  his 
stick,  and  even  made  little  runs  at  it — all  to  no 
purpose.  Finally,  being  a  soft-hearted  man,  he 
was  weak  enough  to  pat  the  cowering  schemer 
on  the  head,  and,  being  frantically  licked  by  the 
homeless  one,  took  it  up  in  his  arms  and  walked 
off  with  it. 

Billy  Jones  watched  the  proceedings  with 
interest,  not  untempered   by   envy.     If  he   had 

207 


2o8  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

only  been  a  dog  1  The  dog  passed  in  the  man's 
arms,  and,  with  a  whine  of  ecstasy,  insisted  upon 
licking  his  ear.  They  went  on  their  way,  the 
dog  wondering  between  licks  what  sort  of  table 
the  man  kept,  and  the  man  speculating  idly  as 
to  a  descent  which  appeared  to  have  included, 
among  other  things,  an  ant-eater. 

"'E's  all  right,"  said  the  orphan,  wistfully; 
"  no  coppers  to  chivvy  'im  about,  and  as  much 
grub  as  he  wants.     Wish  I  'd  been  a  dog." 

He  tied  up  his  breeches  with  a  piece  of  string 
which  was  lying  on  the  pavement,  and,  his  hands 
being  now  free,  placed  them  in  a  couple  of  rents 
which  served  as  pockets,  and  began  to  whistle. 
He  was  not  a  proud  boy,  and  was  quite  willing 
to  take  a  lesson  even  from  the  humblest.  Surely 
he  was  as  useful  as  a  dog ! 

The  thought  struck  him  just  as  a  stout,  kindly- 
looking  seaman  passed  with  a  couple  of  ship- 
mates. It  was  a  good-natured  face,  and  the 
figure  was  that  of  a  man  who  lived  well.  A 
moment's  hesitation,  and  Master  Jones,  with  a 
courage  born  of  despair,  ran  after  him  and 
tugged  him  by  the  sleeve. 

"Halloa!"  said  Mr.  Samuel  Brown,  looking 
round.     "  What  do  you  want  ?  " 

"  Want  you,  father,"  said  Master  Jones. 

The  jolly  seaman's  face   broke  into  a  smile. 


SAM'S    BOY  209 

So   also    did    the    faces    of    the  jolly  seaman's 
friends. 

"  I  'm  not  your  father,  matey,"  he  said,  good- 
naturedly. 

"  Yes,  you  are,"  said  the  desperate  Billy ;  "  you 
know  you  are." 

"You've  made  a  mistake,  my  lad,"  said  Mr. 
Brown,  still  smiling.     "Here,  run  away." 

He  felt  in  his  trouser-pocket  and  produced  a 
penny.  It  was  a  gift,  not  a  bribe,  but  it  had  by 
no  means  the  effect  its  donor  intended.  Master 
Jones,  now  quite  certain  that  he  had  made  a 
wise  choice  of  a  father,  trotted  along  a  yard  or 
two  in  the  rear. 

"  Look  here,  my  lad,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Brown, 
goaded  into  action  by  intercepting  a  smile  with 
which  Mr.  Charles  Legge  had  favoured  Mr. 
Harry  Green,  "  you  run  off  home." 

"Where  do  you  live  now?"  inquired  Billy, 
anxiously. 

Mr.  Green,  disdaining  concealment,  slapped  Mr. 
Legge  on  the  back,  and,  laughing  uproariously, 
regarded  Master  Jones  with  much  kindness. 

"  You  mustn't  follow  me,"  said  Sam,  severely ; 
"d'ye  hear?" 

"  All  right,  father,"  said  the  boy,  dutifully. 

"And  don't  call   me    father,"  vociferated  Mr. 
Brown. 
O 


2io  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  Why  not  ? "  inquired  the  youth,  artlessly. 

Mr.  Legge  stopped  suddenly,  and,  putting  his 
hand  on  Mr.  Green's  shoulder,  gaspingly  ex- 
pressed his  inability  to  go  any  farther.  Mr. 
Green,  patting  his  back,  said  he  knew  how  he 
felt,  because  he  felt  the  same,  and,  turning  to 
Sam,  told  him  he'd  be  the  death  of  him  if  he 
wasn't  more  careful. 

"  If  you  don't  run  away,"  said  Mr.  Brown, 
harshly,  as  he  turned  to  the  boy,  "  I  shall  give 
you  a  hiding." 

"Where  am  I  to  run  to?"  whimpered  Master 
Jones,  dodging  off  and  on. 

"  Run  'ome,"  said  Sam. 

"That's  where  I'm  going,"  said  Master  Jones 
following. 

"  Better  try  and  give  'im  the  slip,  Sam,"  said 
Mr.  Legge,  in  a  confidential  whisper;  "though 
it  seems  a  unnatural  thing  to  do." 

"Unnatural?  What  d'ye  mean?"  demanded 
his  unfortunate  friend.  "Wot  d'ye  mean  by 
unnatural?" 

"  Oh,  if  you  're  going  to  talk  like  that,  Sam," 
said  Mr.  Legge,  shortly,  "  it 's  no  good  giving  you 
advice.  As  you  've  made  your  bed,  you  must  lay 
on  it." 

"  How  long  is  it  since  you  saw  'im  last, 
matey?"  inquired  Mr.  Green. 


SAM'S    BOY  211 

"I  dunno;  not  very  long,"  replied  the  boy, 
cautiously. 

"  Has  he  altered  at  all  since  you  see  'im  last?" 
inquired  the  counsel  for  the  defence,  motioning 
the  fermenting  Mr.  Brown  to  keep  still. 

"  No,"  said  Billy,  firmly ;  "  not  a  bit." 

"  Wot 's  your  name  ? " 

"  Billy,"  was  the  reply. 

"Billy  wot?" 

"  Billy  Jones." 

Mr.  Green's  face  cleared,  and  he  turned  to  his 
friends  with  a  smile  of  joyous  triumph.  Sam's 
face  reflected  his  own,  but  Charlie  Legge's  was 
still  overcast. 

"It  ain't  likely,"  he  said,  impressively;  "it 
ain't  likely  as  Sam  would  go  and  get  married 
twice  in  the  same  name,  is  it  ?  Put  it  to  yourself, 
'Any — would  you?" 

"Look  'ere,"  exclaimed  the  infuriated  Mr. 
Brown,  "don't  you  interfere  in  my  business. 
You  're  a  crocodile,  that 's  wot  you  are.  As  for 
you,  you  little  varmint,  you  run  off,  d'  ye  hear?" 

He  moved  on  swiftly,  accompanied  by  the 
other  two,  and  set  an  example  of  looking  straight 
ahead  of  him,  which  was,  however,  lost  upon  his 
friends. 

"'E's  still  following  of  you,  Sam,"  said  the 
crocodile,  in  by  no  means  disappointed  tones. 


212  LIGHT  FREIGHTS 

"  Sticking  Hke  a  leech,"  confirmed  Mr.  Green. 
"  'E  's  a  pretty  little  chap,  rather." 

"Takes  arter  'is  mother,"  said  the  vengeful 
Mr.  Legge. 

The  unfortunate  Sam  said  nothing,  but  strode 
a  haunted  man  down  Nightingale  Lane  into 
Wapping  High  Street,  and  so  to  the  ketch 
Nancy  Bell,  which  was  lying  at  Shrimpett's 
Wharf.  He  stepped  on  board  without  a  word, 
and  only  when  he  turned  to  descend  the  fore- 
castle-ladder did  his  gaze  rest  for  a  moment  on 
the  small,  forlorn  piece  of  humanity  standing  on 
the  wharf. 

"Halloa  boy,  what  do  you  want?"  cried  the 
skipper,  catching  sight  of  him. 

"  Want  my  father,  sir— Sam,"  replied  the  youth, 
who  had  kept  his  ears  open. 

The  skipper  got  up  from  his  seat  and  eyed 
him  curiously ;  Messrs.  Legge  and  Green,  draw- 
ing near,  explained  the  situation.  Now  the 
skipper  was  a  worldly  man ;  and  Samuel 
Brown,  A.B.,  when  at  home,  played  a  brass 
instrument  in  the  Salvation  Army  band. 
He  regarded  the  boy  kindly  and  spoke  him 
fair. 

"  Don't  run  away,"  he  said,  anxiously. 
"I'm  not   going   to,  sir,"  said   Master  Jones, 
charmed    with    his    manner,    and    he    watched 


SAM'S    BOY  213 

breathlessly  as  the  skipper  stepped  forward,  and, 
peering  down  the  forecastle,  called  loudly  for 
Sam. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  a  worried  voice. 

"  Your  boy 's  asking  after  you,"  said  the  skipper, 
grinning  madly. 

"He's  not  my  boy,  sir,"  replied  Mr.  Brown, 
through  his  clenched  teeth. 

"Well,  you'd  better  come  up  and  see  him," 
said  the  other.     "  Are  you  sure  he  isn't,  Sam  ? " 

Mr.  Brown  made  no  reply,  but  coming  on  deck 
met  Master  Jones's  smile  of  greeting  with  an  icy 
stare,  and  started  convulsively  as  the  skipper 
beckoned  the  boy  aboard. 

"  He 's  been  rather  neglected,  Sam,"  said  the 
skipper,  shaking  his  head. 

"Wot's  it  got  to  do  with  me?"  said  Sam, 
violently.  "  I  tell  you  I  've  never  seen  'im  afore 
this  arternoon." 

"You  hear  what  your  father  says,"  said  the 

skipper ("  Hold  your  tongue,  Sam.)  Where's 

your  mother,  boy  ? " 

"  Dead,  sir,"  whined  Master  Jones.  "  I  've  on'y 
got  'im  now." 

The  skipper  was  a  kind-hearted  man,  and 
he  looked  pityingly  at  the  forlorn  little  figure 
by  his  side.  And  Sam  was  the  good  man  of  the 
ship  and  a  leading  light  at  Dimport, 


214  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  How  would  you  like  to  come  to  sea  with  your 
father?"  he  inquired. 

The  grin  of  delight  with  which  Master  Jones 
received  this  proposal  was  sufficient  reply. 

"  I  wouldn't  do  it  for  everybody,"  pursued  the 
skipper,  glancing  severely  at  the  mate,  who  was 
behaving  foolishly,  "but  I  don't  mind  obliging 
you,  Sam.     He  can  come." 

"Obliging}"  repeated  Mr.  Brown,  hardly  able 
to  get  the  words  out.  "Obliging  me}  I  don't 
want  to  be  obliged." 

"  There,  there,"  interrupted  the  skipper.  "  I 
don't  want  any  thanks.  Take  him  forrard  and 
give  him  something  to  eat — he  looks  half  starved, 
poor  little  chap." 

He  turned  away  and  went  down  to  the  cabin, 
while  the  cook,  whom  Mr.  Brown  had  publicly 
rebuked  for  his  sins  the  day  before,  led  the  boy 
to  the  galley  and  gave  him  a  good  meal.  After 
that  was  done  Charlie  washed  him,  and  Harry 
going  ashore,  begged  a  much-worn  suit  of  boy's 
clothes  from  a  foreman  of  his  acquaintance.  He 
also  brought  back  a  message  from  the  foreman 
to  Mr.  Brown  to  the  effect  that  he  was  surprised 
at  him. 

The  conversation  that  evening  after  Master 
Jones  was  asleep  turned  upon  bigamy,  but  Mr. 
Brown  snored  through  it  all,  though  Mr.  Legge's 


SAM'S    BOY  215 

remark  that  the  revelations  of  that  afternoon  had 
thrown  a  light  upon  many  little  things  in  his 
behaviour  which  had  hitherto  baffled  him,  came 
perilously  near  to  awaking  him. 

At  six  in  the  morning  they  got  under  way, 
the  boy  going  nearly  frantic  with  delight  as  sail 
after  sail  was  set,  and  the  ketch,  with  a  stiff 
breeze,  rapidly  left  London  behind  her.  Mr. 
Brown  studiously  ignored  him,  but  the  other 
men  pampered  him  to  his  heart's  content,  and 
even  the  cabin  was  good  enough  to  manifest  a 
little  concern  in  his  welfare,  the  skipper  calling 
Mr.  Brown  up  no  fewer  than  five  times  that  day 
to  complain  about  his  son's  behaviour. 

"  I  can't  have  somersaults  on  this  'ere  ship, 
Sam,"  he  remarked,  shaking  his  head  ;  "  it  ain't 
the  place  for  'em." 

"  I  wonder  at  you  teaching  'im  such  things," 
said  the  mate,  in  grave  disapprobation. 

"Me?"  said  the  hapless  Sam,  trembling  with 
passion. 

"  He  must  'ave  seen  you  do  it,"  said  the  mate, 
letting  his  eye  rove  casually  over  Sam's  ample 
proportions.  "You  must  ha'  been  leading  a 
double  life  altogether,  Sam." 

"That's  nothing  to  do  with  us,"  interrupted 
the  skipper,  impatiently.  "  I  don't  mind  Sam 
turning  cart-wheels  all  day  if  it  amuses  him^  but 


216  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

they  mustn't  do  it  here,  that 's  all.     It 's  no  good 
standing  there  sulking,  Sam  ;  I  can't  have  it." 

He  turned  away,  and  Mr.  Brown,  unable  to 
decide  whether  he  was  mad  or  drunk,  or  both, 
walked  back,  and,  squeezing  himself  up  in  the 
bows,  looked  miserably  over  the  sea.  Behind 
him  the  men  disported  themselves  with  Master 
Jones,  and  once,  looking  over  his  shoulder,  he 
actually  saw  the  skipper  giving  him  a  lesson 
in  steering. 

By  the  following  afternoon  he  was  in  such 
a  state  of  collapse  that,  when  they  put  in  at 
the  small  port  of  Withersea  to  discharge  a 
portion  of  their  cargo,  he  obtained  permission 
to  stay  below  in  his  bunk.  Work  proceeded 
without  him,  and  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening 
they  sailed  again,  and  it  was  not  until  they  were 
a  couple  of  miles  on  their  way  to  Dimport  that 
Mr.  Legge  rushed  aft  with  the  announcement 
that  he  was  missing. 

"  Don't  talk  nonsense,"  said  the  skipper,  as  he 
came  up  from  below  in  response  to  a  hail  from 
the  mate. 

"  It 's  a  fact,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Legge,  shaking  his 
head. 

"  What 's  to  be  done  with  the  boy  ?  "  demanded 
the  mate,  blankly. 

"Sam's  a  unsteady,  unreliable,  tricky  old  man," 


/    7/ 


SAM'S    BOY  217 

exclaimed  the  skipper,  hotly  ;  "the  idea  of  going 
and  leaving  a  boy  on  our  hands  like  that.  I  'm 
surprised  at  him.  I  'm  disappointed  in  Sam — 
deserting ! " 

"  I  expect  'e  's  larfing  like  anything,  sir,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Legge. 

"Get  forrard,"  said  the  skipper,  sharply  ;  "get 
forrard  at  once,  d'ye  hear?" 

"  But  what 's  to  be  done  with  the  boy  ? — that 's 
what  I  want  to  know,"  said  the  mate. 

"What  d'ye  think 's  to  be  done  with  him?" 
bawled  the  skipper.  "  We  can't  chuck  him  over- 
board, can  we  ? " 

"  I  mean  when  we  get  to  Dimport  ? "  growled 
the  mate. 

"Well,  the  men '11  talk,"  said  the  skipper, 
calming  down  a  little,  "  and  perhaps  Sam's  wife  '11 
come  and  take  him.  If  not,  I  suppose  he'll  have 
to  go  to  the  workhouse.  Anyway,  it 's  got 
nothing  to  do  with  me.  I  wash  my  hands  of  it 
altogether." 

He  went  below  again,  leaving  the  mate  at 
the  wheel.  A  murmur  of  voices  came  from 
the  forecastle,  where  the  crew  were  discussing 
the  behaviour  of  their  late  colleague.  The 
bereaved  Master  Jones,  whose  face  was  streaky 
with  the  tears  of  disappointment,  looked  on  from 
his  bunk. 


218  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do,  Billy  ? "  inquired 
the  cook. 

"  I  dunno,"  said  the  boy,  miserably. 

He  sat  up  in  his  bunk  in  a  brown  study, 
ever  and  anon  turning  his  sharp  little  eyes  from 
one  to  another  of  the  men.  Then,  with  a  final 
sniff  to  the  memory  of  his  departed  parent,  he 
composed  himself  to  sleep. 

With  the  buoyancy  of  childhood  he  had  for- 
gotten his  trouble  by  the  morning,  and  ran  idly 
about  the  ship  as  before,  until  in  the  afternoon 
they  came  in  sight  of  Dimport.  Mr.  Legge, 
who  had  a  considerable  respect  for  the  brain 
hidden  in  that  small  head,  pointed  it  out  to 
him,  and  with  some  curiosity  waited  for  his 
remarks. 

"  I  can  see  it,"  said  Master  Jones,  briefly. 

"  That 's  where  Sam  lives,"  said  his  friend, 
pointedly. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  boy,  nodding,  "  all  of  you  live 
there,  don't  you  ? " 

It  was  an  innocent  enough  remark  in  all  con- 
science, but  there  was  that  in  Master  Jones's  eye 
which  caused  Mr.  Legge  to  move  away  hastily 
and  glance  at  him  in  some  disquietude  from  the 
other  side  of  the  deck.  The  boy,  unconscious  of 
the  interest  excited  by  his  movements,  walked 
restlessly  up  and  down. 


SAM'S    BOY  219 

"  Boy 's  worried,"  said  the  skipper,  aside,  to  the 
mate  ;  "  cheer  up,  sonny." 

Billy  looked  up  and  smiled,  and  the  cloud 
which  had  sat  on  his  brow  when  he  thought  of 
the  cold-blooded  desertion  of  Mr.  Brown  gave 
way  to  an  expression  of  serene  content. 

"  Well,  what 's  he  going  to  do  ?  "  inquired  the 
mate,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  That  needn't  worry  us,"  said  the  skipper. 
"  Let  things  take  their  course  ;  that 's  my  motto." 

He  took  the  wheel  from  Harry ;  the  little  town 
came  closer ;  the  houses  separated  and  disclosed 
roads,  and  the  boy  discovered  to  his  disappoint- 
ment that  the  church  stood  on  ground  of  its  own, 
and  not  on  the  roof  of  a  large  red  house  as  he 
had  supposed.  He  ran  forward  as  they  got  closer, 
and,  perching  up  in  the  bows  until  they  were  fast 
to  the  quay,  looked  round  searchingly  for  any 
signs  of  Sam. 

The  skipper  locked  up  the  cabin,  and  then 
calling  on  one  of  the  shore-hands  to  keep  an  eye 
on  the  forecastle,  left  it  open  for  the  convenience 
of  the  small  passenger.  Harry,  Charlie,  and  the 
cook  stepped  ashore.  The  skipper  and  mate 
followed,  and  the  latter,  looking  back  from  some 
distance,  called  his  attention  to  the  desolate  little 
figure  sitting  on  the  hatch. 

"  I  s'pose  he  '11  be  all  right,"  said  the  skipper, 


220  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

uneasily;  "there's  food  and  a  bed  down  the 
fo'c's'le.  You  might  just  look  round  to-night  and 
see  he 's  safe.  I  expect  we  '11  have  to  take  him 
back  to  London  with  us." 

They  turned  up  a  small  road  in  the  direction 
of  home  and  walked  on  in  silence,  until  the  mate, 
glancing  behind  at  an  acquaintance  who  had 
just  passed,  uttered  a  sharp  exclamation.  The 
skipper  turned,  and  a  small  figure  which  had  just 
shot  round  the  corner  stopped  in  mid-career  and 
eyed  them  warily.  The  men  exchanged  uneasy 
glances. 

"  Father,"  cried  a  small  voice. 

"  He — he 's  adopted  you  now,"  said  the  skipper, 
huskily. 

"  Or  you,"  said  the  mate.  "  I  never  took  much 
notice  of  him." 

He  looked  round  again.  Master  Jones  was 
following  briskly,  about  ten  yards  in  the  rear, 
and  twenty  yards  behind  him  came  the  crew, 
who,  having  seen  him  quit  the  ship,  had  followed 
with  the  evident  intention  of  being  in  at  the  death. 

"  Father,"  cried  the  boy  again,  "  wait  for  me." 

One  or  two  passers-by  stared  in  astonishment, 
and  the  mate  began  to  be  uneasy  as  to  the 
company  he  was  keeping. 

"  Let 's  separate,"  he  growled,  "  and  see  who 
he  *s  calling  after." 


SAM'S    BOY  221 

The  skipper  caught  him  by  the  arm.  "  Shout 
out  to  him  to  go  back,"  he  cried. 

"It's  you  he's  after,  I  tell  vou,"  said  the  mate. 
"  Who  do  you  want,  Billy?" 

"  I  want  my  father,"  cried  the  youth,  and,  to 
prevent  any  mistake,  indicated  the  raging  skipper 
with  his  finger. 

"  Who  do  you  want  ? "  bellowed  the  latter,  in  a 
frightful  voice. 

"  Want  you,  father,"  chirruped  Master  Jones. 

Wrath  and  dismay  struggled  for  supremacy 
in  the  skipper's  face,  and  he  paused  to  decide 
whether  it  would  be  better  to  wipe  Master  Jones 
off  the  face  of  the  earth  or  to  pursue  his  way 
in  all  the  strength  of  conscious  innocence.  He 
chose  the  latter  course,  and,  a  shade  more  erect 
than  usual,  walked  on  until  he  came  in  sight  of 
his  house  and  his  wife,  who  was  standing  at  the 
door. 

"  You  come  along  o'  me,  Jem,  and  explain," 
he  whispered  to  the  mate.  Then  he  turned  about 
and  hailed  the  crew.  The  crew,  flattered  at  being 
offered  front  seats  in  the  affair,  came  forward 
eagerly. 

"What's  the  matter?"  inquired  Mrs.  Hunt, 
eyeing  the  crowd  in  amazement  as  it  grouped 
itself  in  anticipation. 

"  Nothing,"  said  her  husband,  off-handedly. 


222  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  Who's  that  boy  ? "  cried  the  innocent  woman. 

"  It's  a  poor  little  mad  boy,"  began  the  skipper; 
"  he  came  aboard " 

"  I  'm  not  mad,  father,"  interrupted  Master 
Jones. 

"  A  poor  little  mad  boy,"  continued  the  skipper, 
hastily,  "  who  came  aboard  in  London  and  said 
poor  old  Sam  Brown  was  his  father." 

"  No — you,  father,"  cried  the  boy,  shrilly. 

"  He  calls  everybody  his  father,"  said  the 
skipper,  with  a  smile  of  anguish;  "that's  the 
form  his  madness  takes.  He  called  Jem  here 
his  father." 

"  No,  he  didn't,"  said  the  mate,  bluntly. 

"  And  then  he  thought  Charlie  was  his  father." 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Legge,  with  respectful 
firmness. 

"  Well,  he  said  Sam  Brown  was "  said  the 
skipper. 

"  Yes,  that's  right,  sir,"  said  the  crew. 

"Where  is  Sam?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Hunt,  looking 
round  expectantly. 

"  He  deserted  the  ship  at  Withersea,"  said  her 
husband. 

"  I  see,"  said  Mrs.  Hunt,  with  a  bitter  smile, 
"  and  these  men  have  all  come  up  prepared  to 
swear  that  the  boy  said  Sam  was  his  father. 
Haven't  you  ?  " 


SAM'S    BOY  223 

'Yes,  mum,"  chorused  the  crew,  delighted  at 
being  understood  so  easily. 

Mrs.  Hunt  looked  across  the  road  to  the  fields 
stretching  beyond.  Then  she  suddenly  brought 
her  gaze  back,  and,  looking  full  at  her  husband, 
uttered  just  two  words — 

"Oh,  Joe!" 

"  Ask  the  mate,"  cried  the  frantic  skipper. 

"Yes,  I  know  what  the  mate '11  say,"  said  Mrs. 
Hunt.     "  I  've  no  need  to  ask  him." 

"  Charlie  and  Harry  were  with  Sam  when  the 
boy  came  up  to  them,"  protested  the  skipper. 

"  I  've  no  doubt,"  said  his  wife.  "  Oh,  Joe ! 
Joe!  Joe!" 

There  was  an  uncomfortable  silence,  during 
which  the  crew,  standing  for  the  most  part 
on  one  leg  in  sympathy  with  their  chief's 
embarrassment,  nudged  each  other  to  say  some- 
thing to  clear  the  character  of  a  man  whom  all 
esteemed. 

"  You  ungrateful  little  devil,"  burst  out  Mr. 
Legge,  at  length;  "  arter  the  kind  way  the  skipper 
treated  you,  too." 

"Did  he  treat  him  kindly?"  inquired  the 
captain's  wife,  in  conversational  tones. 

"Like  a  fa  —  like  a  uncle,  mum,"  said  the 
thoughtless  Mr.  Legge.  "  Gave  'im  a  passage 
on  the  ship  and  fairly  spoilt  'im.     We  was  all 


224  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

surprised  at  the  fuss  'e  made  of  'im ;  wasn't  we, 
Harry  ? " 

He  turned  to  his  friend,  but  on  Mr.  Green's 
face  there  was  an  expression  of  such  utter  scorn 
and  contempt  that  his  own  fell.  He  glanced  at 
the  skipper,  and  was  almost  frightened  at  his 
appearance. 

The  situation  was  ended  by  Mrs.  Hunt  entering 
the  house  and  closing  the  door  with  an  ominous 
bang.  The  men  slunk  off,  headed  by  Mr.  Legge; 
and  the  mate,  after  a  few  murmured  words  of 
encouragement  to  the  skipper,  also  departed. 
Captain  Hunt  looked  first  at  the  small  cause  of 
his  trouble,  who  had  drawn  off  to  some  distance, 
and  then  at  the  house.  Then,  with  a  determined 
gesture,  he  turned  the  handle  of  the  door  and 
walked  in.  His  wife,  who  was  sitting  in  an 
armchair,  with  her  eyes  on  the  floor,  remained 
motionless. 

"  Look  here,  Polly ,"  he  began. 

"  Don't  talk  to  me,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  wonder 
you  can  look  me  in  the  face." 

The  skipper  ground  his  teeth,  and  strove  to 
maintain  an  air  of  judicial  calm. 

"If  you'll  only  be  reasonable ,"  he  re- 
marked, severely. 

"  I  thought  there  was  something  secret  going 
on,"  said  Mrs.  Hunt.     "  I  've  often  looked  at  you 


SAM'S    BOY  225 

when  you've  been  sitting  in  that  chair,  with  a 
worried  look  on  your  face,  and  wondered  what  it 
was.  But  I  never  thought  it  was  so  bad  as  this. 
I  '11  do  you  the  credit  to  say  that  I  never  thought 
of  such  a  thing  as  this.  .  .  .  What  did  you  say? 
.  .  .  What?" 

"  I  said  'damn  !"'  said  the  skipper,  explosively. 

"  Yes,  I  've  no  doubt,"  said  his  wife,  fiercely. 
"  You  think  you  're  going  to  carry  it  off  with  a 
high  hand  and  bluster ;  but  you  won't  bluster 
me,  my  man.  I  'm  not  one  of  your  meek  and 
mild  women  who'll  put  up  with  anything.  I'm 
not  one  of  your " 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  the  skipper,  "  that  the  boy 
calls  everybody  his  father.  I  dare  say  he's 
claimed  another  by  this  time." 

Even  as  he  spoke  the  handle  turned,  and  the 
door  opening  a  few  inches  disclosed  the  anxious 
face  of  Master  Jones.  Mrs.  Hunt,  catching  the 
skipper's  eye,  pointed  to  it  in  an  ecstasy  of  silent 
wrath.  There  was  a  breathless  pause,  broken  at 
last  by  the  boy. 

"  Mother ! "  he  said,  softly. 

Mrs.  Hunt  stiffened  in  her  chair  and  her  arms 
fell  by  her  side  as  she  gazed  in  speechless  amaze- 
ment. Master  Jones,  opening  the  door  a  little 
wider,  gently  insinuated  his  small  figure  into  the 
room.  The  skipper  gave  one  glance  at  his  wife, 
P 


226  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

and  then,  turning  hastily  away,  put  his  hand  over 
his  mouth,  and,  with  protruding  eyes,  gazed  out 
of  the  window. 

"  Mother,  can  I  come  in  ? "  said  the  boy. 

"  Oh,  Polly !  "  sighed  the  skipper.  Mrs.  Hunt 
strove  to  regain  the  utterance  of  which  astonish- 
ment had  deprived  her. 

"  I  .  .  .  what  .  .  .  Joe  .  .  .  don't  be  a  fool  1 " 

"  Yes,  I  've  no  doubt,"  said  the  skipper,  theatri- 
cally.    "  Oh,  Polly !  Polly !  Polly  ! " 

He  put  his  hand  over  his  mouth  again  and 
laughed  silently,  until  his  wife,  coming  behind 
him,  took  him  by  the  shoulders  and  shook  him 
violently. 

"  This,"  said  the  skipper,  choking ;  "  this  is 
what  .  .  .  you  've  been  worried  about.  .  .  .  This 
is  the  secret  what 's " 

He  broke  off  suddenly  as  his  wife  thrust  him 
by  main  force  into  a  chair,  and  standing  over  him 
with  a  fiery  face  dared  him  to  say  another  word. 
Then  she  turned  to  the  boy. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  calling  me  '  mother'?" 
she  demanded.     "  I  'm  not  your  mother." 

"  Yes,  you  are,"  said  Master  Jones. 

Mrs.  Hunt  eyed  him  in  bewilderment,  and 
then,  roused  to  a  sense  of  her  position  by  a 
renewed  gurgling  from  the  skipper's  chair,  set 
to  work  to  try  and  thump  that  misguided  man 


SAM'S    BOY  227 

fnto  a  more  serious  frame  of  mind.  Failing  in 
this,  she  sat  down,  and,  after  a  futile  struggle, 
began  to  laugh  herself,  and  that  so  heartily  that 
Master  Jones,  smiling  sympathetically,  closed  the 
door,  and  came  boldly  into  the  room. 

The  statement,  generally  believed,  that  Captain 
Hunt  and  his  wife  adopted  him,  is  incorrect,  the 
skipper  accounting  for  his  continued  presence 
in  the  house  by  the  simple  explanation  that  he 
had  adopted  them, — an  explanation  which  Mr. 
Samuel  Brown,  for  one,  finds  quite  easy  of 
acceptance. 


A  WILL  AND  A  WAY 

THE  old  man  sat  over  the  tap-room  fire  at  the 
"  Cauliflower,"  his  gnarled,  swollen  hands 
fondled  the  warm  bowl  of  his  long  pipe,  and  an 
ancient  eye  watched  with  almost  youthful  im- 
patience the  slow  warming  of  a  mug  of  beer  on 
the  hob. 

He  had  just  given  unasked-for  statistics  to  the 
visitor  at  the  inn  who  was  sitting  the  other  side 
of  the  hearth.  His  head  was  stored  with  the 
births,  marriages,  and  deaths  of  Claybury,  and 
with  a  view  of  being  entertaining  he  had  already 
followed,  from  the  cradle  to  the  altar  and  the 
altar  to  the  grave,  the  careers  of  some  of  the  most 
uninteresting  people  that  ever  breathed. 

"  No,  there  ain't  been  a  great  sight  o'  single 
men  hereabouts,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  a  ques- 
tion. "Claybury  'as  always  been  a  marrying 
sort  o'  place — not  because  the  women  are  more 
good-looking  than  others,  but  because  they  are 
sharper" 

He  reached  forward,  and,  taking  up  his  beer, 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        229 

drank  with  relish.  The  generous  liquor  warmed 
his  blood,  and  his  eye  brightened. 

"  I  've  buried  two  wives,  but  I  'ave  to  be  care- 
ful myself,  old  as  I  am,"  he  said,  thoughtfully. 
"  There 's  more  than  one  woman  about  'ere  as 
would  like  to  change  'er  name  for  mine.  Clay- 
bury  's  got  the  name  for  being  a  marrying  place, 
and  they  don't  like  to  see  even  a  widow-man. 

"  Now  and  agin  we  've  'ad  a  young  feller  as 
said  as  'e  wouldn't  get  married.  There  was  Jem 
Burn,  for  one,  and  it  ain't  a  month  ago  since  four 
of  'is  grandchildren  carried  him  to  the  church- 
yard ;  and  there  was  Walter  Bree :  'e  used  to 
prove  as  'ow  any  man  that  got  married  wasn't  in 
'is  right  mind,  and  'e  got  three  years  in  prison  for 
wot  they  call  bigamy. 

"But  there  used  to  be  one  man  in  these  parts 
as  the  Claybury  women  couldn't  marry,  try  as 
they  might  He  was  a  ugly  little  man  with  red 
'air  and  a  foxy  face.  They  used  to  call  'im  Foxy 
Green,  and  'e  kept  'appy  and  single  for  years  and 
years. 

"  He  wasn't  a  man  as  disliked  being  in  the 
company  o'  women  though,  and  that 's  wot  used 
to  aggeravate  'em.  He  'd  take  'em  out  for  walks, 
or  give  'em  a  lift  in  'is  cart,  but  none  of  'em  could 
get  'old  of  'im,  not  even  the  widders.  He  used  to 
say  'e  loved  'em  all  too  much  to  tie  hisself  up  to 


230  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

any  one  of  'em,  and  'e  would  sit  up  'ere  of  a  night 
at  the  "Cauliflower"  and  send  men  with  large 
families  a'most  crazy  by  calkerlating  'ow  many 
pints  o'  beer  their  children  wore  out  every  year 
in  the  shape  o'  boots. 

"  Sometimes  'is  uncle,  old  Ebenezer  Green,  used 
to  sit  up  'ere  with  'im.  He  was  a  strong,  'earty 
old  man,  and  'e  'd  sit  and  laugh  at  Foxy  till  'is 
chair  shook  under  'im.  He  was  a  lively  sporting 
sort  o'  man,  and  when  Foxy  talked  like  that  'e 
seemed  to  be  keeping  some  joke  to  hisself  which 
nearly  choked  'im. 

'"You'll  marry  when  I'm  gone,  Foxy,'  he'd 
say. 

" '  Not  me,'  ses  Foxy. 

"Then  the  old  man  'ud  laugh  agin  and  talk 
mysterious  about  fox-hunts  and  say  'e  wondered 
who'd  get  Foxy's  brush.  He  said  'e'd  only  got 
to  shut  'is  eyes  and  'e  could  see  the  pack  in  full 
cry  through  Claybury  village,  and  Foxy  going  'is 
'ardest  with  'is  tongue  'anging  out. 

"  Foxy  couldn't  say  anything  to  'im,  because  it 
was  understood  that  when  the  old  man  died  'e 
was  to  'ave  'is  farm  and  'is  money ;  so  'e  used  to 
sit  there  and  smile  as  if  'e  liked  it. 

'When  Foxy  was  about  forty-three  'is  uncle 
died.  The  old  man's  mind  seemed  to  wander  at 
the  last,  and  'e  said  what  a  good  man  'e  'd  always 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        231 

been,  and  wot  a  comfort  it  was  to  'im  now  that  'e 
was  goin'.  And  'e  mentioned  a  lot  o'  little  sums 
o'  money  owed  'im  in  the  village  which  nobody 
could  remember. 

" '  I  've  made  my  will,  Foxy,'  he  ses, '  and  school- 
master 's  takin'  care  of  it ;  I  've  left  it  all  to  you.' 

" « All  right,'  ses  Foxy.     '  Thankee.' 

" '  He 's  goin'  to  read  it  arter  the  funeral,'  ses 
'is  uncle,  '  which  is  the  proper  way  to  do  it.  I  'd 
give  anything  to  be  there,  Foxy,  and  see  your  face.' 

"Those  were  'is  last  words,  but  'e  laughed  once 
or  twice,  and  for  a  long  time  arter  'e'd  gone  Foxy 
Green  sat  there  and  wondered  at  'is  last  words 
and  wot  there  was  to  laugh  about. 

"The  old  man  was  buried  a  few  days  after,  and 
Foxy  stood  by  the  grave  'olding  a  'andkerchief  to 
'is  eyes,  and  behaving  as  though  'e  'ad  lost  money 
instead  of  coming  in  for  it.  Then  they  went  back 
to  the  "farm,  and  the  first  thing  the  schoolmaster 
did  was  to  send  all  the  women  off  before  reading 
the  will. 

" '  Wot 's  that  for  ?  '  ses  Foxy,  staring. 

"  '  You  '11  see,'  ses  the  schoolmaster  ;  '  them  was 
my  instructions.  It's  for  your  sake,  Mr.  Green; 
to  give  you  a  chance — at  least,  that 's  wot  your 
uncle  said.' 

"  He  sat  down  and  took  out  the  will  and  put  on 
'is  spectacles.     Then  'e  spread  it  out  on  the  table 


232  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

and  took  a  glass  o'  gin  and  water  and  began  to 
read. 

"  It  was  all  straightforward  enough.  The  farm 
and  stock,  and  two  cottages,  and  money  in  the 
bank,  was  all  left  to  Josiah  Green,  commonly 
called  Foxy  Green,  on  condition 

"  There  was  such  a  noise  o'  clapping,  and  pat- 
ting Foxy  on  the  back,  that  the  schoolmaster  'ad 
to  leave  off  and  wait  for  quiet. 

" '  On  condition,'  he  ses,  in  a  loud  voice,  '  that 
he  marries  the  first  Claybury  woman,  single  or 
widow,  that  asks  'im  to  marry  her  in  the  presence 
of  three  witnesses.  If  he  refuses,  the  property  is 
to  go  to  'er  instead.' 

"  Foxy  turned  round  like  mad  then,  and  asked 
Henery  Walker  wot  'e  was  patting  'im  on  the 
back  for.  Then,  in  a  choking  voice,  he  asked  to 
'ave  it  read  agin. 

"'Well,  there's  one  thing  about  it,  Mr.  Green,' 
ses  Henery  Walker  ;  '  with  all  your  property 
you  '11  be  able  to  'ave  the  pick  o'  the  prettiest 
gals  in  Claybury.' 

" '  'Ow  's  that  ? '  ses  Joe  Chambers,  very  sharp  ; 
'he's  got  to  take  the  first  woman  that  asks 'im, 
don't  matter  wot  'er  age  is.' 

"  He  got  up  suddenly,  and,  without  even  saying 
good-bye  to  Foxy,  rushed  out  of  the  'ouse  and 
off  over  the  fields  as  'ard  as  'e  could  go. 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        233 

*  «  Wot 's  the  matter  with  'im  ? '  ses  Foxy. 

K  Nobody  could  give  any  answer,  and  they  sat 
there  staring  at  each  other,  till  all  of  a  sudden 
Henery  Walker  jumps  up  and  goes  off  if  anything 
'arder  than  wot  Joe  Chambers  had  done. 

"'Anything  wrong  with  the  drink?'  ses  Foxy, 
puzzled  like. 

"  They  shook  their  'eads  agin,  and  then  Peter 
Gubbins,  who'd  been  staring  'ard  with  'is  mouth 
open,  got  up  and  gave  the  table  a  bang  with  'is 
fist. 

" '  Joe  Chambers  'as  gone  arter  'is  sister,'  he  ses, 
'and  Henery  Walker  arter  'is  wife's  sister,  as  'e's 
been  keeping  for  this  last  six  months.  That's 
wot  they  've  gone  for.' 

"  Everybody  saw  it  then,  and  in  two  minutes 
Foxy  and  the  schoolmaster  was  left  alone  looking 
at  each  other  and  the  empty  table. 

"  •  Well,  I  'm  in  for  a  nice  thing,'  ses  Foxy. 
'Fancy  being  proposed  to  by  Henery  Walker's 
sister-in-law  !     Ugh  ! ' 

"'It'll  be  the  oldest  ones  that'll  be  the  most 
determined,'  said  the  schoolmaster,  shaking  'is 
'ead.     '  Wot  are  you  going  to  do  ? ' 

" '  I  don't  know,'  ses  Foxy,  '  it 's  so  sudden. 
But  they  've  got  to  'ave  three  witnesses,  that 's 
one  comfort.  I  'd  like  to  tell  Joe  Chambers  wot 
I  think  of  'im  and  'is  precious  sister.' 


234  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  It  was  very  curious  the  way  the  women  took 
it.  One  an'  all  of  'em  pretended  as  it  was  an 
insult  to  the  sex,  and  they  said  if  Foxy  Green 
waited  till  'e  was  asked  to  marry  he  'd  wait  long 
enough.  Little  chits  o'  gals  o'  fourteen  and  fifteen 
was  walking  about  tossing  their  'eads  up  and  as 
good  as  saying  they  might  'ave  Green's  farm  for 
the  asking,  but  they  wouldn't  ask.  Old  women 
of  seventy  and  over  said  that  if  Foxy  wanted  to 
marry  them  he  'd  'ave  to  ask,  and  ask  a  good 
many  times  too. 

"  Of  course,  this  was  all  very  well  in  its  way, 
but  at  the  same  time  three  Claybury  gals  that 
was  away  in  service  was  took  ill  and  'ad  to  come 
'ome,  and  several  other  women  that  was  away 
took  their  holidays  before  their  relations  knew 
anything  about  it.  Almost  every  'ouse  in  Clay- 
bury  'ad  got  some  female  relation  staying  in  it, 
and  they  was  always  explaining  to  everybody 
why  it  was  they  'ad  come  'ome.  None  of  'em  so 
much  as  mentioned  Foxy  Green. 

"  Women  are  artful  creatures  and  think  a  lot  of 
appearances.  There  wasn't  one  of  'em  as  would 
ha'  minded  wot  other  folks  said  if  they'd  caught 
Foxy,  but  they  'd  ha'  gone  half  crazy  with  shame 
if  they'd  tried  and  not  managed  it.  And  they 
couldn't  do  things  on  the  quiet  because  of  the 
three  witnesses.     That  was  the  'ardship  of  it. 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        235 

"  It  was  the  only  thing  talked  about  in  Claybury, 
and  Foxy  Green  soon  showed  as  he  was  very 
wide-awake.  First  thing  'e  did  was  to  send  the 
gal  that  used  to  do  the  dairy-work  and  the  'ouse- 
work  off.  Then  'e  bought  a  couple  o'  large,  fierce 
dogs  and  chained  'em  up,  one  near  the  front  door 
and  one  near  the  back.  They  was  very  good  dogs, 
and  they  bit  Foxy  hisself  two  or  three  times  so  as 
to  let  'im  see  that  they  knew  wot  they  was  there  for. 

"  He  took  George  Smith,  a  young  feller  that 
used  to  work  on  the  farm,  into  the  'ouse,  and  for 
the  fust  week  or  two  'e  rather  enjoyed  the  excite- 
ment. But  when  'e  found  that  'e  couldn't  go  into 
the  village,  or  even  walk  about  'is  own  farm  in 
safety,  he  turned  into  a  reg'lar  woman-hater. 

"  The  artful  tricks  those  women  'ad  wouldn't  be 
believed.  One  day  when  Foxy  was  eating  'is 
dinner  William  Hall  drove  up  to  the  gate  in  a 
cart,  and  when  George  came  out  to  know  wot  'e 
wanted,  'e  said  that  he  'ad  just  bought  some  pigs 
at  Rensham  and  would  Foxy  like  to  make  fust 
offer  for  'em, 

"  George  went  in,  and  when  'e  came  out  agin  he 
said  William  Hall  was  to  go  inside.  He  'eld  the 
dog  while  William  went  by,  and  as  soon  as  Foxy 
'eard  wot  'e  wanted  'e  asked  'im  to  wait  till  'e  'd 
finished  'is  dinner,  and  then  he  'd  go  out  and  'ave 
a  look  at  'em. 


2$6  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"'  I  was  wantin'  some  pigs  bad,'  he  ses,  •  and  the 
worst  of  it  is  I  can't  get  out  to  buy  any  as  things 
are.' 

"' That's  wot  I  thought,'  ses  William  Hall; 
'that's  why  I  brought  'em  to  you.' 

" '  You  deserve  to  get  on,  William,'  ses  Foxy. 
'  George,'  he  ses,  turning  to  'im. 

"  '  Yes,'  ses  George. 

" '  Do  you  know  much  about  pigs  ? ' 

" '  I  know  a  pig  when  I  see  one,'  ses  George. 

" '  That 's  all  I  want,'  ses  Foxy ;  '  go  and  'ave  a 
look  at  'em.' 

"  William  Hall  gave  a  start  as  George  walked 
out,  and  a  minute  afterwards  both  of  'em  'eard  an 
awful  noise,  and  George  came  back  rubbing  'is 
'ead  and  saying  that  when  'e  lifted  up  the  cloth 
one  o1  the  pigs  was  William  Hall's  sister  and  the 
others  was  'er  nephews.  William  said  it  was  a 
joke,  but  Foxy  said  he  didn't  like  jokes,  and  if 
William  thought  that  'e  or  George  was  going  to 
walk  with  'im  past  the  dog  'e  was  mistook. 

"  Two  days  arter  that,  Foxy,  'appening  to  look 
out  of  'is  bedroom  window,  saw  one  o'  the  Clay- 
bury  boys  racing  'is  cows  all  up  and  down  the 
meadow.  He  came  down  quietly  and  took  up  a 
stick,  and  then  'e  set  out  to  race  that  boy  up  and 
down.  He  'd  always  been  a  good  runner,  and  the 
boy  was  'alf-blown  like.     'E  gave  a  yell  as  'e  saw 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY         237 

Foxy  coming  arter  'im,  and  left  the  cow  'e  was 
chasin'  and  ran  straight  tor  the  'edge,  with  Foxy 
close  behind  'im. 

"Foxy  was  within  two  yards  of  'im  when  'e 
suddenly  caught  sight  of  a  blue  bonnet  waiting 
behind  the  'edge,  and  'e  turned  round  and  went 
back  to  the  'ouse  as  fast  as  'e  could  go  and  locked 
'imself  in.  And  'e  'ad  to  sit  there,  half-busting, 
all  the  morning,  and  watch  that  boy  chase  'is  best 
cows  up  and  down  the  meadow  without  daring  to 
go  out  and  stop  'im. 

"  He  sent  George  down  to  tell  the  boy's  father 
that  night,  and  the  father  sent  back  word  that  if 
Foxy  'ad  got  anything  to  say  agin  'is  boy  why 
didn't  'e  come  down  like  a  man  and  say  it 
hisself? 

"  Arter  about  three  weeks  o'  this  sort  o'  thing 
Foxy  Green  began  to  see  that  'e  would  'ave  to 
get  married  whether  he  liked  it  or  not,  and  'e 
told  George  so.  George's  idea  was  for  'im  to 
get  the  oldest  woman  in  Claybury  to  ask  'im 
in  marriage,  because  then  he'd  soon  be  single 
agin.  It  was  a  good  idea,  on'y  Foxy  didn't 
seem  to  fancy  it. 

'"Who  do  you  think  is  the  prettiest  gal  in 
Claybury,  George  ? '  he  ses. 

"'  Flora  Pottle,'  ses  George,  at  once. 

" ( That 's  exactly  my  idea,'  ses  Foxy ;  '  if  I  've 


238  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

got  to  marry,  I  '11  marry  'er.  However,  I  '11  sleep 
on  it  a  night  and  see  'ow  I  feel  in  the  morning.' 

"  '  I  '11  marry  Flora  Pottle,'  he  ses,  when  'e  got 
up.  '  You  can  go  round  this  arternoon,  George, 
and  break  the  good  news  to  'er.' 

"  George  tidied  hisself  up  arter  dinner  and  went. 
Flora  Pottle  was  a  very  fine-looking  gal,  and  she 
was  very  much  surprised  when  George  walked  in, 
but  she  was  more  surprised  when  'e  told  'er  that 
if  she  was  to  go  over  and  ask  Foxy  to  be  'er 
'usband  he  wouldn't  say  '  No.' 

"Mrs.  Pottle  jumped  out  of  'er  skin  for  joy 
a'most.  She  'd  'ad  a  'ard  time  of  it  with  Flora 
and  five  young  children  since  'er  'usband  died, 
and  she  could  'ardly  believe  'er  ears  when  Flora 
said  she  wouldn't. 

"  ■  'E  's  old  enough  to  be  my  father,'  she  ses. 

"  •  Old  men  make  the  best  'usbands,'  ses  George, 
coaxing  'er ;  '  and,  besides,  think  o'  the  farm.' 

" '  That 's  wot  you  've  got  to  think  of,'  ses  her 
mother.  •  Don't  think  o'  Foxy  Green  at  all ; 
think  o'  the  farm.' 

"  Flora  stood  and  leaned  herself  up  agin  a  chest 
o'  drawers  and  twisted  'er  hands,  and  at  last  she 
sent  back  word  to  say  that  she  wanted  time  to 
think  it  over. 

"Foxy  Green  was  very  much  astonished  when 
George  took  back  that  answer.     He'd  thought 


A    WILL    AND    AWAY         239 

that  any  gal  would  ha'  jumped  at  'im  without  the 
farm,  and  arter  going  upstairs  and  looking  at 
hisself  in  the  glass  'e  was  more  astonished  than 
ever. 

"  When  George  Smith  went  up  to  the  Pottles 
agin  the  next  day  Flora  made  a  face  at  'im,  and 
'e  felt  as  orkard  as  if  'e  'd  been  courting  'er  hisself 
a'most.  At  first  she  wouldn't  'ave  anything  to 
say  to  'im  at  all,  but  went  on  sweeping  out  the 
room,  and  nearly  choking  'im.  Then  George 
Smith,  wot  was  a  likely  young  feller,  put  'is  arm 
round  'er  waist,  and,  taking  the  broom  away  from 
'er,  made  'er  sit  down  beside  'im  while  'e  gave  'er 
Foxy's  message. 

"  He  did  Foxy's  courting  for  'im  for  an  hour, 
although  it  on'y  seemed  about  five  minutes  to 
both  of  'em.  Then  Mrs.  Pottle  came  in,  and 
arter  a  lot  of  talk  Flora  was  got  to  say  that 
George  Smith  might  come  agin  for  five  minutes 
next  day. 

"Foxy  went  on  dreadful  when  'e  'eard  that 
Flora  'adn't  given  an  answer,  but  George  Smith, 
who  liked  the  job  much  better  than  farming  or 
making  beds,  told  'im  she  was  coming  round,  and 
that  it  was  on'y  natural  a  young  gal  should  like 
to  be  courted  a  bit  afore  givin'  in. 

"  '  Yes,'  ses  Foxy,  biting  'is  lip, '  but  'ow  's  it  to 
be  done  ? ' 


240  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  'You  leave  it  to  me,'  ses  George  Smith,  'and 
it  '11  be  all  right.  I  sit  there  and  talk  about  the 
farm  as  well  as  wot  you  could.' 

" '  And  about  me  too,  I  s'pose  ? '  ses  Foxy, 
catching  'im  up. 

"  '  Yes,'  ses  George  ;  '  I  tell  'er  all  sorts  o'  lies 
about  you.' 

"  Foxy  looked  at  'im  a  moment,  and  then  'e 
went  off  grumbling.  He  was  like  a  good  many 
more  men,  and  because  Flora  Pottle  didn't  seem 
to  want  'im  'e  on'y  fancied  'er  the  more.  Next 
day  'e  sent  George  Smith  up  with  an  old  brooch 
as  a  present,  and  when  George  came  back  'e  said 
'e  thought  that  if  it  'ad  been  a  new  one  it  would 
'ave  done  wot  was  wanted. 

"You  can't  keep  secrets  in  Claybury,  and  it 
soon  got  round  wot  Foxy  Green  was  arter. 
That  made  the  other  women  more  determined 
than  ever,  and  at  last  Foxy  sent  up  word  that  if 
Flora  wouldn't  ask  'im  to  let  'im  know,  as  'e  was 
tired  o'  being  a  prisoner,  and  old  Mrs.  Ball  'ad 
nearly  'ad  'im  the  day  afore. 

"  It  took  George  Smith  two  hours'  'ard  courtin' 
afore  he  could  get  Flora  Pottle  to  say  '  Yes,'  but 
at  last  she  did,  and  then  Mrs.  Pottle  came  in, 
and  she  shook  'ands  with  George,  and  gave  'im  a 
glass  o'  beer.  Mrs.  Pottle  wanted  to  take  'er  up 
to  Green's  farm  there  and  then,  but  Flora  said 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        241 

no.  She  said  they'd  go  up  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  evenin',  and  the  sacrifice  should  be  made 
then. 

"Foxy  didn't  like  the  word  'sacrifice'  at  all, 
but  if  'e  'd  got  to  be  married  'e  'd  sooner  marry 
Fk>ra  than  anybody,  and  'e  'ad  to  put  up  with  it. 

" '  There  '11  be  you  for  one  witness,'  he  ses  to 
George,  '  and  Mrs.  Pottle  is  two ;  wot  about  the 
third  ? ' 

"  '  I  should  'ave  'alf  a  dozen,  so  as  to  make 
sure,'  ses  George. 

"  Foxy  thought  it  was  a  good  idea,  and  without 
letting  'em  know  wot  it  was  for,  'e  asked  Henery 
Walker  and  Joe  Chambers,  and  three  or  four  more 
'e  'ad  a  grudge  against  for  trying  to  marry  'im  to 
their  relations,  to  come  up  and  see  that  'e  'd  been 
able  to  pick  and  choose. 

"They  came  at  ha'-past  seven,  and  at  eight 
o'clock  there  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and 
George,  arter  carefully  looking  round,  let  in  Mrs. 
Pottle  and  Flora.  She  was  a  fine-looking  gal, 
and  as  she  stood  there  looking  at  all  them 
astonished  men,  'er  face  all  blushes  and  'er  eyes 
large  and  shining,  Foxy  thought  getting  married 
wasn't  such  a  bad  thing  arter  all.  He  gave  'er  a 
chair  to  sit  on,  and  then  'e  coughed  and  waited. 

"  '  It 's  a  fine  night,'  he  ses,  at  last. 

"  '  Beautiful,'  ses  Mrs.  Pottle. 
Q 


242  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"Flora  didn't  say  anything.  She  sat  there 
shuffling  'er  feet  on  the  carpet,  and  Foxy  Green 
kept  on  looking  at  'er  and  waiting  for  'er  to 
speak,  and  'oping  that  she  wouldn't  grow  up  like 
'er  mother. 

"  '  Go  on,  Flora,'  ses  Mrs.  Pottle,  nudging  'er. 

"  '  Go  on,  Flora,'  ses  Henery  Walker,  mimicking 
'er.  '  I  s'pose  you  've  come  to  ask  Foxy  a  question 
by  the  look  of  it?' 

"  '  Yes,'  ses  Flora,  looking  up.  '  Are  you  quite 
well,  Mr.  Green  ?  ' 

" '  Yes,  yes,'  ses  Foxy  ;  '  but  you  didn't  come 
up  'ere  to  ask  me  that.' 

"'It's  all  I  could  do  to  get  'er  'ere  at  all,  Mr. 
Green,'  says  Mrs.  Pottle ;  '  she 's  that  shy  you 
can't  think.  She'd  rather  ha'  'ad  you  ask  'er 
yourself.' 

"  '  That  can't  be  done,'  ses  Foxy,  shaking  'is 
'ead.     '  Leastways,  I  'm  not  going  to  risk  it.' 

"  '  Now,  Flora/  ses  'er  mother,  nudging  'er  agin. 

'"Come  on,  Flora  Pottle,'  ses  Bob  Hunt; 
•  we  're  all  a-waitin'.' 

" '  Shut  your  eyes  and  open  your  mouth,  as  if 
Foxy  was  a  powder,'  ses  Henery  Walker. 

" '  I  can't,'  ses  Flora,  turning  to  her  mother. 
1 1  can't  and  I  won't.' 

"  '  Flora  Pottle,'  ses  'er  mother,  firing  up. 

"'I  won't,'  ses  Flora,  firing  up    too;    'you've 


A    WILL    AND    A    WAY        243 

been  bothering  me  all  day  long  for  ever  so  long, 
and  I  won't.  1  'ate  the  sight  of  'im.  He 's  the 
ugliest  man  in  Claybury.' 

"  Mrs.  Pottle  began  to  cry  and  say  that  she  'd 
disgraced  'er ;  but  Foxy  Green  looked  at  'er  and 
'e  ses,  'Very  well,  Flora  Pottle,  then  we'll  say  no 
more  about  it.     Good  evening.' 

"'Good  evening,'  ses  Mrs.  Pottle,  getting  up 
and  giving  Flora  a  shake.  'Come  along,  you 
tantalising  mawther,  do.  You'll  die  an  old 
maid,  that 's  what  you  '11  do.' 

"  '  That 's  all  you  know,'  ses  Flora,  smiling  over 
at  George  Smith  ;  'but  if  you're  so  fond  o'  Mr. 
Green  why  don't  you  ask'im  yourself?  He  can't 
say  "  No." ' 

"  For  half  a  minute  the  room  was  as  quiet  as  a 
grave,  and  the  on'y  thing  that  moved  was  Foxy 
Green's  eyes  as  he  looked  fust  at  the  door  at  the 
other  end  of  the  room  and  then  at  the  window. 

" '  Lor'  bless  my  soul ! '  ses  Mrs.  Pottle,  in  a 
surprised  voice.     '  I  never  thought  of  it.1 

"  She  sat  down  agin  and  smiled  at  Foxy  as  if 
she  could  eat  'im. 

" '  I  can't  think  why  I  didn't  think  of  it,'  she 
ses,  looking  round.  '  I  was  going  out  like  a  lamb. 
Mr.  Green ' 

" '  One  moment,'  ses  Foxy,  'olding  up  'is  'and. 
'  I  should  be  a  terrible,  bad,  cruel,  unkind  husband 


244  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

to  anybody  I  didn't  like.  Don't  say  words  you  '11 
be  sorry  for  arterwards,  Mrs.  Pottle.' 

" '  I'm  not  going  to,'  ses  Mrs.  Pottle ;  •  the 
words  I  'm  going  to  say  will  be  good  for  both  of 
us ;  I'm  far  more  suitable  for  you  than  a  young 
gal — Mr.  Green,  will  you  marry  me  ? ' 

"  Foxy  Green  looked  at  'er  for  a  moment,  and 
then  'e  looked  round  at  all  them  grinning  men 
wot  he'd  brought  there  by  mistake  to  see  'im 
made  a  fool  of.  Then  in  a  low,  'usky  voice  he 
ses,  ■  I  will.'  " 


JERRY  BUNDLER 

IT  wanted  a  few  nights  to  Christmas,  a  festival 
for  which  the  small  market  town  of  Tor- 
chester  was  making  extensive  preparations.  The 
narrow  streets  which  had  been  thronged  with 
people  were  now  almost  deserted  ;  the  cheap-jack 
from  London,  with  the  remnant  of  breath  left 
him  after  his  evening's  exertions,  was  making 
feeble  attempts  to  blow  out  his  naphtha  lamp, 
and  the  last  shops  open  were  rapidly  closing  for 
the  night. 

In  the  comfortable  coffee-room  of  the  old 
"  Boar's  Head,"  half  a  dozen  guests,  principally 
commercial  travellers,  sat  talking  by  the  light  of 
the  fire.  The  talk  had  drifted  from  trade  to 
politics,  from  politics  to  religion,  and  so  by  easy 
stages  to  the  supernatural.  Three  ghost  stories, 
never  known  to  fail  before,  had  fallen  flat ;  there 
was  too  much  noise  outside,  too  much  light 
within.  The  fourth  story  was  told  by  an  old 
hand  with  more  success ;  the  streets  were  quiet, 
and  he  had  turned  the  gas  out.     In  the  flickering 


246  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

light  of  the  fire,  as  it  shone  on  the  glasses  and 
danced  with  shadows  on  the  walls,  the  story  proved 
so  enthralling  that  George,  the  waiter,  whose  pres- 
ence had  been  forgotten,  created  a  very  disagree- 
able sensation  by  suddenly  starting  np  from  a 
dark  corner  and  gliding  silently  from  the  room. 

"That's  what  I  call  a  good  story,"  said  one 
of  the  men,  sipping  his  hot  whisky.  "  Of  coarse 
it 's  an  old  idea  that  spirits  like  to  get  into  the 
company  of  human  beings.  A  man  told  me  once 
that  he  travelled  down  the  Great  Western  with 
a  ghost,  and  hadn't  the  slightest  suspicion  of  it 
until  the  inspector  came  for  tickets.  My  friend 
said  the  way  that  ghost  tried  to  keep  up  appear- 
ances by  feeling  for  it  in  all  its  pockets  and  looking 
on  the  floor  was  quite  touching.  Ultimately  it 
gave  it  up  and  with  a  faint  groan  vanished  through 
the  ventilator." 

"  That  '11  do,  Hirst,"  said  another  man. 

"  It's  not  a  subject  for  jesting,"  said  a  little  old 
gentleman  who  had  been  an  attentive  listener. 
"  I  've  never  seen  an  apparition  myself,  but  I 
know  people  who  have,  and  I  consider  that  they 
form  a  very  interesting  link  between  us  and  the 
after-life.  There 's  a  ghost  story  connected  with 
this  house,  you  know." 

"  Never  heard  of  it,"  said  another  speaker, 
"  and  I  've  been  here  some  years  now." 


JERRY    BUNDLER  247 

u  It  dates  back  a  long  time  now,"  said  the  old 
gentleman.  "You've  heard  about  Jerry  Bundler, 
George  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  've  just  'eard  odds  and  ends,  sir,"  said 
the  old  waiter,  "  but  I  never  put  much  count  to 
'em.  There  was  one  chap  'ere  what  said  'e  saw  it, 
and  the  gov'ner  sacked  'im  prompt." 

"My  father  was  a  native  of  this  town,"  said  the 
old  gentleman,  "  and  knew  the  story  well.  He 
was  a  truthful  man  and  a  steady  churchgoer,  but 
I  've  heard  him  declare  that  once  in  his  life  he  saw 
the  appearance  of  Jerry  Bundler  in  this  house." 

"And  who  was  this  Bundler?"  inquired  a 
voice. 

"A  London  thief,  pickpocket,  highwayman — 
anything  he  could  turn  his  dishonest  hand  to," 
replied  the  old  gentleman  ;  "  and  he  was  run  to 
earth  in  this  house  one  Christmas  week  some 
eighty  years  ago.  He  took  his  last  supper  in 
this  very  room,  and  after  he  had  gone  up  to  bed 
a  couple  of  Bow  Street  runners,  who  had  followed 
him  from  London  but  lost  the  scent  a  bit,  went 
upstairs  with  the  landlord  and  tried  the  door.  It 
was  stout  oak,  and  fast,  so  one  went  into  the 
yard,  and  by  means  of  a  short  ladder  got  on  to 
the  window-sill,  while  the  other  stayed  outside 
the  door.  Those  below  in  the  yard  saw  the  man 
crouching    on    the   sill,   and   then    there   was   a 


248  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

sudden  smash  of  glass,  and  with  a  cry  he  fell  in 
a  heap  on  the  stones  at  their  feet.  Then  in  the 
moonlight  they  saw  the  white  face  of  the  pick- 
pocket peeping  over  the  sill,  and  while  some 
stayed  in  the  yard,  others  ran  into  the  house  and 
helped  the  other  man  to  break  the  door  in.  It 
was  difficult  to  obtain  an  entrance  even  then,  for 
it  was  barred  with  heavy  furniture,  but  they  got 
in  at  last,  and  the  first  thing  that  met  their  eyes 
was  the  body  of  Jerry  dangling  from  the  top  of 
the  bed  by  his  own  handkerchief." 

"  Which  bedroom  was  it  ?  "  asked  two  or  three 
voices  together. 

The  narrator  shook  his  head.  "  That  I  can't 
tell  you ;  but  the  story  goes  that  Jerry  still 
haunts  this  house,  and  my  father  used  to  declare 
positively  that  the  last  time  he  slept  here  the 
ghost  of  Jerry  Bundler  lowered  itself  from  the 
top  of  his  bed  and  tried  to  strangle  him." 

"That'll  do,"  said  an  uneasy  voice.  "I  wish 
you  'd  thought  to  ask  your  father  which  bedroom 
it  was. 

"What  for?"  inquired  the  old  gentleman. 

"  Well,  I  should  take  care  not  to  sleep  in  it, 
that's  all,"  said  the  voice,  shortly. 

"  There 's  nothing  to  fear,"  said  the  other.  "  I 
don't  believe  for  a  moment  that  ghosts  could 
really   hurt   one.       In    fact    my    father    used    to 


JERRY    BUNDLER  249 

confess  that  it  was  only  the  unpleasantness  of  the 
thing  that  upset  him,  and  that  for  all  practical 
purposes  Jerry's  fingers  might  have  been  made  of 
cotton-wool  for  all  the  harm  they  could  do." 

"  That 's  all  very  fine,"  said  the  last  speaker 
again  ;  "  a  ghost  story  is  a  ghost  story,  sir ;  but 
when  a  gentleman  tells  a  tale  of  a  ghost  in  the 
house  in  which  one  is  going  to  sleep,  I  call  it 
most  ungentlemanly ! " 

"  Pooh  !  nonsense  !  "  said  the  old  gentleman, 
rising  ;  "  ghosts  can't  hurt  you.  For  my  own 
part,  I  should  rather  like  to  see  one.  Good 
night,  gentlemen." 

"  Good  night,"  said  the  others.  "  And  I  only 
hope  Jerry  '11  pay  you  a  visit,"  added  the  nervous 
man  as  the  door  closed. 

"  Bring  some  more  whisky,  George,"  said  a 
stout  commercial ;  "  I  want  keeping  up  when  the 
talk  turns  this  way." 

"Shall  I  light  the  gas,  Mr.  Malcolm?"  said 
George. 

"  No ;  the  fire 's  very  comfortable,"  said  the 
traveller.  "  Now,  gentlemen,  any  of  you  know 
any  more  ? " 

"  I  think  we  've  had  enough,"  said  another 
man  ;  "  we  shall  be  thinking  we  see  spirits  next, 
and  we  're  not  all  like  the  old  gentleman  who  *s 
just  gone." 


250  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  Old  humbug  ! "  said  Hirst.  "  I  should  like  to 
put  him  to  the  test.  Suppose  I  dress  up  as  Jerry 
Bundler  and  go  and  give  him  a  chance  of  dis- 
playing his  courage  ?  " 

"  Bravo ! "  said  Malcolm,  huskily,  drowning  one 
or  two  faint  "  Noes."  "  Just  for  the  joke,  gentle- 
men." 

"  No,  no !     Drop  it,  Hirst,"  said  another  man. 

M  Only  for  the  joke,"  said  Hirst,  somewhat 
eagerly.  "  I  've  got  some  things  upstairs  in 
which  I  am  going  to  play  in  the  Rivals — knee- 
breeches,  buckles,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  It's 
a  rare  chance.  If  you  '11  wait  a  bit  I  '11  give  you 
a  full-dress  rehearsal,  entitled,  '  Jerry  Bundler ; 
or,  The  Nocturnal  Strangles' " 

"  You  won't  frighten  us,"  said  the  commercial, 
with  a  husky  laugh. 

"  I  don't  know  that,"  said  Hirst,  sharply  ;  "  it 's 
a  question  of  acting,  that 's  all.  I  'm  pretty  good, 
ain't  I,  Somers  ? " 

"  Oh,  you  're  all  right — for  an  amateur,"  said 
his  friend,  with  a  laugh. 

"  I  '11  bet  you  a  level  sov.  you  don't  frighten 
me,"  said  the  stout  traveller. 

"Done!"  said  Hirst.  "I'll  take  the  bet  to 
frighten  you  first  and  the  old  gentleman  after- 
wards.    These  gentlemen  shall  be  the  judges." 

"  You  won't  frighten  us,  sir,"  said  another  man, 


JERRY    BUNDLER  25* 

"because  we're  prepared  for  you;  but  you'd 
better  leave  the  old  man  alone.  It's  dangerous 
play." 

"  Well,  I  '11  try  you  first,"  said  Hirst,  springing 
up.     "  No  gas,  mind." 

He  ran  lightly  upstairs  to  his  room,  leaving 
the  others,  most  of  whom  had  been  drinking 
somewhat  freely,  to  wrangle  about  his  proceed- 
ings.    It  ended  in  two  of  them  going  to  bed. 

"He's  crazy  on  acting,"  said  Somers,  lighting 
his  pipe.  "  Thinks  he  's  the  equal  of  anybody 
almost.  It  doesn't  matter  with  us,  but  I  won't 
let  him  go  to  the  old  man.  And  he  won't  mind 
so  long  as  he  gets  an  opportunity  of  acting 
to  us." 

"  Well,  I  hope  he  '11  hurry  up,"  said  Malcolm, 
yawning  ;  "  it 's  after  twelve  now." 

Nearly  half  an  hour  passed.  Malcolm  drew 
his  watch  from  his  pocket  and  was  busy  winding 
it,  when  George,  the  waiter,  who  had  been  sent 
on  an  errand  to  the  bar,  burst  suddenly  into  the 
room  and  rushed  towards  them. 

"  'E  's  comin',  gentlemen,"  he  said,  breathlessly. 

"Why,  you're  frightened,  George,"  said  the 
stout  commercial,  with  a  chuckle. 

"  It  was  the  suddenness  of  it,"  said  George, 
sheepishly ;  "  and  besides,  I  didn't  look  for  seein' 
'im  in  the  bar.     There 's  only  a  glimmer  of  light 


252  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

there,  and  'e  was  sitting  on  the  floor  behind  the 
bar.     I  nearly  trod  on  'im." 

"  Oh,  you  '11  never  make  a  man,  George,"  said 
Malcolm. 

"  Well,  it  took  me  unawares,"  said  the  waiter. 
"  Not  that  I  'd  have  gone  to  the  bar  by  myself 
if  I  'd  known  'e  was  there,  and  I  don't  believe 
you  would  either,  sir." 

"  Nonsense ! "  said  Malcolm.  "  I  '11  go  and 
fetch  him  in." 

"You  don't  know  what  it's  like,  sir,"  said 
George,  catching  him  by  the  sleeve.  "  It  ain't 
fit  to  look  at  by  yourself.it  ain't,  indeed.  It's 
got  the What 's  thc.t ? " 

They  all  started  at  the  sound  of  a  smothered 
cry  from  th-e  staircase  and  the  sound  of  some- 
body running  hurriedly  along  the  passage.  Be- 
fore anybody  could  speak,  the  door  flew  open 
and  a  figure  bursting  into  the  room  flung  itself 
gasping  and  shivering  upon  them. 

"  What  is  it  ?  What 's  the  matter  ? "  demanded 
Malcolm.  "Why,  it's  Mr.  Hirst."  He  shook 
him  roughly  and  then  held  some  spirit  to  his 
lips.  Hirst  drank  it  greedily  and  with  a  sharp 
intake  of  his  breath  gripped  him  by  the  arm. 

"Light  the  gas,  George,"  said  Malcolm. 

The  waiter  obeyed  hastily.  Hirst,  a  ludicrous 
but    pitiable  figure    in    knee-breeches  and  coat, 


JERRY    BUNDLER  253 

a  large  wig  all    awry,  and   his  face   a   mess  of 
grease  paint,  clung  to  him,  trembling. 

"  Now,  what 's  the  matter  ? "  asked  Malcolm. 
"  I  've  seen   it,"  said    Hirst,  with  a  hysterical 
sob.     "  O  Lord,  I  '11  never  play  the  fool  again, 
never  I " 

"  Seen  what  ? "  said  the  others. 
"Him— it— the  ghost— anything ! "  said  Hirst, 
wildly. 

"  Rot ! "  said  Malcolm,  uneasily. 
"  I  was    coming  down  the  stairs,"  said   Hirst. 
"Just   capering  down — as    I    thought — it  ought 

to  do.     I  felt  a  tap " 

He  broke  off  suddenly  and  peered  nervously 
through  the  open  door  into  the  passage. 

"  I  thought  I  saw  it  again,"  he  whispered. 
"Look — at  the  foot  of  the  stairs.  Can  you  see 
anything?" 

"No,  there's  nothing  there,"  said  Malcolm, 
whose  own  voice  shook  a  little.     "  Go  on.     You 

felt  a  tap  on  your  shoulder " 

"  I  turned  round  and  saw  it — a  little  wicked 
head  and  a  white  dead  face.     Pah  !  " 

"  That 's  what  I  saw  in  the  bar,"  said  George. 
"'Orrid  it  was— devilish  !  " 

Hirst  shuddered,  and,  still  retaining  his  nervous 
grip  of  Malcolm's  sleeve,  dropped  into  a  chair. 
"  Well,  it 's  a  most  unaccountable  thing,"  said 


254  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

the  dumbfounded  Malcolm,  turning  round  to 
the  others.  "It's  the  last  time  I  come  to  this 
house." 

"  I  leave  to-morrow,"  said  George.  "  I  wouldn't 
go  down  to  that  bar  again  by  myself,  no,  not  for 
fifty  pounds !  " 

"  It's  talking  about  the  thing  that 's  caused  it, 
I  expect,"  said  one  of  the  men  ;  "  we  've  all  been 
talking  about  this  and  having  it  in  our  minds. 
Practically  we've  been  forming  a  spiritualistic 
circle  without  knowing  it." 

"  Hang  the  old  gentleman ! "  said  Malcolm, 
heartily.  "  Upon  my  soul,  I  'm  half  afraid  to  go 
to  bed.  It 's  odd  they  should  both  think  they 
saw  something." 

"  I  saw  it  as  plain  as  I  see  you,  sir,"  said 
George,  solemnly.  "  P'raps  if  you  keep  your  eyes 
turned  up  the  passage  you  '11  see  it  for  yourself." 

They  followed  the  direction  of  his  finger,  but 
saw  nothing,  although  one  of  them  fancied  that 
a  head  peeped  round  the  corner  of  the  wall. 

"Who'll  come  down  to  the  bar?"  said  Mal- 
colm, looking  round. 

"  You  can  go,  if  you  like,"  said  one  of  the  others, 
with  a  faint  laugh  ;  "  we  '11  wait  here  for  you." 

The  stout  traveller  walked  towards  the  door 
and  took  a  few  steps  up  the  passage.  Then  he 
stopped.     All  was  quite  silent,  and  he  walked 


JERRY    BUNDLER  255 

slowly  to  the  end  and  looked  down  fearfully 
towards  the  glass  partition  which  shut  off  the 
bar.  Three  times  he  made  as  though  to  go  to 
it ;  then  he  turned  back,  and,  glancing  over  his 
shoulder,  came  hurriedly  back  to  the  room. 

"Did  you  see  it,  sir?  "  whispered  George. 

"  Don't  know,"  said  Malcolm,  shortly.  "  I 
fancied  I  saw  something,  but  it  might  have  been 
fancy.  I  'm  in  the  mood  to  see  anything  just 
now.     How  are  you  feeling  now,  sir  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  feel  a  bit  better  now,"  said  Hirst,  some- 
what brusquely,  as  all  eyes  were  turned  upon 
him.  "  I  dare  say  you  think  I  'm  easily  scared, 
but  you  didn't  see  it." 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Malcolm,  smiling  faintly 
despite  himself. 

"  I  'm  going  to  bed,"  said  Hirst,  noticing  the 
smile  and  resenting  it.  "  Will  you  share  my 
room  with  me,  Somers?" 

"  I  will  with  pleasure,"  said  his  friend,  "  pro- 
vided you  don't  mind  sleeping  with  the  gas  on 
full  all  night." 

He  rose  from  his  seat,  and  bidding  the  com- 
pany a  friendly  good-night,  left  the  room  with 
his  crestfallen  friend.  The  others  saw  them  to 
the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  having  heard  their 
door  close,  returned  to  the  coffee-room. 

"Well,    I    suppose   the   bet's   off?"    said   the 


256  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

stout  commercial,  poking  the  fire  and  then 
standing  with  his  legs  apart  on  the  hearthrug  ; 
"  though,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  I  won  it.  I  never 
saw  a  man  so  scared  in  all  my  life.  Sort  of 
poetic  justice  about  it,  isn't  there?" 

"Never  mind  about  poetry  or  justice,"  said 
one  of  his  listeners ;  "  who 's  going  to  sleep  with 
me?" 

"  I  will,"  said  Malcolm,  affably. 

"  And  I  suppose  we  share  a  room  together, 
Mr.  Leek  ? "  said  the  third  man,  turning  to  the 
fourth. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  said  the  other,  briskly  ;  "  I 
don't  believe  in  ghosts.  If  anything  comes  into 
my  room  I  shall  shoot  it." 

"  That  won't  hurt  a  spirit,  Leek,"  said  Malcolm, 
decisively. 

"  Well  the  noise  '11  be  like  company  to  me," 
said  Leek,  "  and  it  '11  wake  the  house  too.  But 
if  you  're  nervous,  sir,"  he  added,  with  a  grin,  to 
the  man  who  had  suggested  sharing  his  room, 
"  George  '11  be  only  too  pleased  to  sleep  on  the 
door-mat  inside  your  room,  I  know." 

"  That  I  will,  sir,"  said  George,  fervently  ;  "  and 
if  you  gentlemen  would  only  come  down  with 
me  to  the  bar  to  put  the  gas  out,  I  could  never 
be  sufficiently  grateful." 

They  went  out  in  a  body,  with  the  exception 


JERRY    BUNDLER  257 

of  Leek,  peering  carefully  before  them  as  they 
went.  George  turned  the  light  out  in  the  bar 
and  they  returned  unmolested  to  the  coffee- 
room,  and,  avoiding  the  sardonic  smile  of  Leek, 
prepared  to  separate  for  the  night. 

"  Give  me  the  candle  while  you  put  the  gas 
out,  George,"  said  the  traveller. 

The  waiter  handed  it  to  him  and  extinguished 
the  gas,  and  at  the  same  moment  all  distinctly 
heard  a  step  in  the  passage  outside.  It  stopped 
at  the  door,  and  as  they  watched  with  bated 
breath,  the  door  creaked  and  slowly  opened. 
Malcolm  fell  back  open  -  mouthed,  as  a  white, 
leering  face,  with  sunken  eyeballs  and  close- 
cropped  bullet  head,  appeared  at  the  opening. 

For  a  few  seconds  the  creature  stood  regarding 
them,  blinking  in  a  strange  fashion  at  the  candle. 
Then,  with  a  sidling  movement,  it  came  a  little 
way  into  the  room  and  stood  there  as  if  bewildered. 

Not  a  man  spoke  or  moved,  but  all  watched 
with  a  horrible  fascination  as  the  creature  re- 
moved its  dirty  neckcloth  and  its  head  rolled  on 
its  shoulder.  For  a  minute  it  paused,  and  then, 
holding  the  rag  before  it,  moved  towards  Malcolm. 

The  candle  went  out  suddenly  with  a  flash  and 
a  bang.  There  was  a  smell  of  powder,  and  some- 
thing writhing  in  the  darkness  on  the  floor.  A 
faint,  choking  cough,  and  then  silence.  Malcolm 
R 


258  LIGHT   FREIGHTS 

was  the  first  to  speak.  "  Matches,"  he  said,  in 
a  strange  voice.  George  struck  one.  Then 
he  leapt  at  the  gas  and  a  burner  flamed  from 
the  match.  Malcolm  touched  the  thing  on  the 
floor  with  his  foot  and  found  it  soft.  He  looked 
at  his  companions.  They  mouthed  inquiries  at 
him,  but  he  shook  his  head.  He  lit  the  candle, 
and,  kneeling  down,  examined  the  silent  thing 
on  the  floor.  Then  he  rose  swiftly,  and  dipping 
his  handkerchief  in  the  water-jug,  bent  down 
again  and  grimly  wiped  the  white  face.  Then 
he  sprang  back  with  a  cry  of  incredulous  horror, 
pointing  at  it.  Leek's  pistol  fell  to  the  floor  and 
he  shut  out  the  sight  with  his  hands,  but  the 
others,  crowding  forward,  gazed  spell-bound  at 
the  dead  face  of  Hirst. 

Before  a  word  was  spoken  the  door  opened 
and  Somers  hastily  entered  the  room.  His  eyes 
fell  on  the  floor.  "  Good  God  I "  he  cried.  "  You 
didn't " 

Nobody  spoke. 

"  I  told  him  not  to,"  he  said,  in  a  suffocating 
voice.     "  I  told  him  not  to.     I  told  him " 

He  leaned  against  the  wall,  deathly  sick,  put 
his  arms  out  feebly,  and  fell  fainting  into  the 
traveller's  arms. 


THE  PEACEMAKER 

THE  harbour  was  crowded  with  fishing  boats, 
and  fresh  arrivals  were  coming  in  every  few 
minutes.  Until  the  entrance  was  reached  they 
came  scudding  along  with  every  appearance  of 
haste,  but  then  their  mainsails  came  tumbling 
down  to  the  deck,  and  the  boats  with  sufficient 
way  left  on  them  moved  easily  over  the  still 
water,  and  felt  their  way  to  a  berth.  Small 
boats  conveyed  the  fish  to  the  quay,  where 
embryo  fishermen  were  appraising  the  catch 
with  a  wisdom  beyond  their  years. 

There  was  a  glut  of  whiting.  So  many  whiting, 
and  going  so  cheaply  that  it  was  enough  to  make 
them  bite  their  tails  from  sheer  vexation.  Small 
flat  fish  which  slid  away  from  their  pile  were 
carefully  looked  after  and  coaxed  back  with  the 
toe  of  a  sea-boot,  but  whiting  slid  away  un- 
noticed until  they  vanished  from  mortal  ken  in 
the  pockets  of  predatory  urchins. 

In  the  small  market,  a  short,  red-faced  man 
with  a   scrubby  beard  walked  in  a  disparaging 

£59 


260  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

fashion  from  heap  to  heap,  using  a  favourite 
briar  in  lieu  of  a  hammer  to  knock  down  such 
fish  as  found  bidders.  The  latter  were  few  and 
wary,  and  turning  a  deaf  ear  to  eloquence  ex- 
pressed opinions  distasteful  to  an  auctioneer's 
ear  in  crude  English. 

The  sense  of  the  meeting  being  against  him, 
the  auctioneer  truckled  to  it,  and  coming  to 
another  heap  consisting  of  a  selection  of  the 
most  undesirable  fish  that  swim  Britannia's 
realm,  gazed  at  it  indignantly.  There  was  a 
titter  behind  him,  and  he  voiced  his  wrath 
impetuously. 

"  That 's  Joe  Gubbs's  catch,"  he  bawled.  "  S'elp 
me,  I  'd  know  that  man's  luck  anywhere." 

He  turned  the  fish  over  scornfully  with  his 
foot,  and,  with  a  severe  glance  at  the  hapless 
Gubbs,  moved  away  to  something  more  saleable. 

"  Where  d'  ye  get  'em  from,  Gubbs  ? "  inquired 
an  aggravating  voice.  "  We  never  get  such 
things  in  our  nets.  I  've  never  seen  some  o' 
them  things  afore." 

"There's  a  lot  you  ain't  seen,  Bob  Tarbut," 
said  Gubbs,  turning  upon  him,  "and  what  you 
do  see  don't  do  you  much  good." 

"  I  'd  be  ashamed  to  bring  home  such  a  queer- 
looking  lot,"  jeered  the  other. 

"  They  mayn't  be  up  to  much,  but  there 's  none 


THE    PEACEMAKER  261 

on  'em  would  care  to  change  faces  with  you,  I 
expect,"  related  Gubbs. 

"  You  leave  my  face  alone,"  said  Tarbut,  whose 
physiognomy  was  much  used  in  the  village  for 
purposes  of  comparison. 

"A  skate's  handsome  to  you,"  said  Gubbs, 
following  up  his  advantage. 

He  jumped  back  suddenly  as  the  fist  of  the 
sensitive  Tarbut  shot  suddenly  out,  and  treading 
on  a  small  fish,  whirled  round  wildly  with  his 
hands  in  the  air  in  the  effort  to  retain  his  balance, 
and  sat  down  heavily.  The  bystanders  instantly 
separated  into  two  groups,  and  two  or  three 
anxious  sympathisers  helped  the  fallen  man  to 
his  feet,  and  indicated  those  parts  of  Tarbut's 
frame  which  in  their  opinion  were  least  adapted 
to  offer  resistance  to  his  fist. 

"  Stand  up,"  said  Gubbs,  sternly,  as  he  shook 
himself  free  from  these  friends. 

"  I  am  a-standin*  up  1 "  said  Tarbut,  breathing 
hard. 

The  two  combatants  approached  each  other 
stealthily,  and  manoeuvring  round  the  heaps  of 
fish,  struck  safely  at  each  other  over  these  con- 
venient barriers. 

"  Get  'em  in  the  road,"  cried  an  excited  voice, 
"  they  can't  'urt  each  other  here." 

A  dozen  kindly  hands  helped  them  there,  and 


262  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

finding  too  much  strategy  for  sport  in  a  large 
ring,  at  the  bidding  of  the  resourceful  individual 
who  had  last  spoken,  gradually  made  it  smaller 
and  smaller.  Two  or  three  small  blows  warmed 
the  combatants,  and  they  set  to  work  in  earnest. 
Then  Gubbs,  under  a  heavy  blow  from  Tarbut, 
went  to  the  ground  and  stayed  there. 

It  was  three  minutes  before  he  came  thoroughly 
round,  and  then  he  sat  up  in  a  dazed  fashion  and 
looked  round  for  his  opponent. 

"  Did  I  kill  !im  ?  "  he  inquired,  in  a  whisper. 

"  No,  not  quite,"  said  one  of  his  friends,  gently. 

Gubbs  rubbed  his  eyes.  "  What  are  they  pat- 
ting him  on  the  back  for  ? "  he  inquired,  eyeing 
the  group  who  were  making  a  fuss  over  Tarbut. 

"  'Cos  he 's  won,"  said  his  friend. 

Gubbs  staggered  to  his  feet. 

"  It 's  no  good,"  said  the  landlord  of  the  "  Three 
Fishers,"  who  had  run  over  to  the  scene  of  the 
fray ;  "  you  wasn't  properly  trained,  you  know. 
Now,  look  'ere.  If  you  put  yourself  in  my  hands, 
in  three  weeks  you  can  beat  him  holler." 

"  You  do  as  Mr.  Larkins  ses,  Joe,"  said  his  friend, 
impressively. 

"  I  lived  among  prizefighters  afore  I  come 
down  'ere,"  said  Mr.  Larkins,  expanding  his 
small  frame.  "  In  three  weeks'  time,  Gubbs, 
you  '11  be  able  to  knock  him  silly." 


THE    PEACEMAKER  263 

"Well,  what  about  Tarbut  ?  He  ought  to 
be  trained  too,"  said  one  of  the  men.  "  Fair 
play's  fair  play  any  day." 

"  I  '11  train  'im,"  said  an  old  ex-coastguardsman. 

"  I  don't  want  no  training,"  said  Tarbut,  surlily. 
"  I  've  beat  'im,  beat  'im  easy." 

"Well,  beat  'im  again,  Tarbut,"  said  one  of  his 
friends.  "  I  '11  put  my  five  bob  on  you.  Who  '11 
take  me  ? " 

For  the  next  five  minutes,  heedless  of  the 
assertions  of  both  men  that  they  wouldn't  fight 
any  more,  bets  were  freely  taken,  Tarbut,  in 
view  of  his  recent  success,  being  a  hot  favourite. 

A  jarring  element  was  introduced  into  the 
proceedings  by  a  small,  elderly  man  wearing  a 
piece  of  blue  ribbon,  who,  pushing  his  way  in 
eagerly,  inquired  what  it  was  all  about.  Nobody 
troubling  to  give  him  a  correct  answer,  he  tried 
to  solve  it  for  himself,  and  was  then  caught,  just 
in  the  nick  of  time,  trying  to  make  the  enemies 
shake  hands. 

"  You  go  off  to  your  Mother's  Meeting,  Peter 
Morgan,"  said  an  incensed  voice. 

"It's  a  fight,"  said  the  little  man,  raising  his 
voice.     "  Oh,  my  friends " 

"  It 's  nothing  o'  the  kind,"  said  Larkins,  hotly. 
"  I  'm  training  'em  for  a  race,  that 's  all.  They  're 
just  going  to  see  who's  the  best  runner." 


264  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Morgan,  disregarding  the  publican,  looked  to 
others  for  information. 

"It's  quite  right,"  said  a  bystander.  "You 
can  believe  me,  can't  you  ? " 

"When  's  it  going  to  be?"  asked  Morgan. 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  the  other,  turning  away. 

"You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourselves,"  said 
Morgan,  warmly.  "It's  bad  enough  to  make  a 
couple  of  men  fight  what  don't  want  to  without 
telling  a  lot  of  lies  about  it." 

"It's  none  o'  your  business,"  said  Larkins, 
surlily.  "  Ask  no  questions  and  you  '11  hear  no 
lies.  You  '11  get  some  idea  into  that  'ead  of 
yours  and  then  go  and  split,  and  have  it  stopped." 

"  I  never  told  of  anything  in  my  life,"  said 
Morgan,  sharply.  "  My  mates  here  know  that. 
That  ain't  my  way.  My  way's  persuasion  and 
example,  not  forcing  people  to  do  what  I  want." 

"There's  a  purse  o'  fifteen  and  six  made  up 
for  the  winner,"  said  Larkins,  turning  away  and 
whispering  the  news  to  Gubbs.  "  The  spot  for 
the  picnic '11  be  made  known  later  on.  Them 
what's  in  the  know  is  respectfully  asked  to  keep 
their  mouths  shut  to  save  trouble  all  round." 

He  went  back  to  his  bar,  and  the  other  men, 
after  standing  about  a  bit,  strolled  off  one  by 
one  to  their  teas.  Mr.  Morgan  was  one  of  the 
last  to  leave,  and  went  as  far  as  Tarbut's  door 


THE    PEACEMAKER  265 

with  him  to  tell  him  an  anecdote  of  a  man  who 
was  struck  behind  the  ear  in  a  fight  and  killed 
on  the  spot. 

A  comfortable  meal  and  a  good  night's  rest 
restored  Mr.  Gubbs  to  his  wonted  serenity  of 
mind,  and  he  awoke  at  six  o'clock  feeling  deter- 
mined to  shake  hands  with  Tarbut  and  let  the 
matter  drop.  A  persistent  hammering  at  the 
door,  which  gradually  got  louder  and  louder, 
interfering  with  his  meditations,  he  roused  Mrs. 
Gubbs,  who  was  sleeping  peacefully,  and  with 
some  asperity  bade  her  get  up  and  stop  it. 

"It's  Mr.  Larkins,  Joe,"  said  the  lady,  hastily 
withdrawing  her  head  from  the  window. 

Mr.  Gubbs  sat  up  in  bed,  and  then  with  a 
mighty  yawn  rose,  and,  pushing  open  the  case- 
ment again,  gazed  indignantly  at  the  small 
publican,  who  was  standing  below  keeping  up 
an  incessant  rapping  on  the  door  with  a  small 
cane. 

"  Morning,  Mr.  Larkins,  sir,"  said  Gubbs, 
sniffing  at  the  cool  morning  air. 

"  Halloa  1"  said  Larkins,  looking  up.  "This 
won't  do,  you  know.  You  're  wasting  time.  You 
ought  to  be  up  and  out  by  now." 

"  I  've  changed  my  mind,"  said  Gubbs,  leaning 
out  and  speaking  in  a  low  voice  to  defeat  the 
intentions  of  Mrs.  Gubbs,  who  was  listening.     "  I 


266  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

dreamt  I  killed  Tarbut,  an'  it 's  give  me  such  a 
fright  that  I  've  resolved  not  to  fight." 

"  That 's  all  right,"  said  Larkins,  briskly ; 
"dreams  always  go  by  contraries." 

"Well  there  ain't  much  comfort  in  that,"  said 
Gubbs,  who  was  anxious  to  get  back  to  his 
warm  bed,  sharply. 

"You  dress  and  come  down,"  said  the  im- 
perious Larkins.  "  You  ought  to  be  ashamed 
of  yourself  after  all  the  trouble  I  'm  taking  on 
your  behalf." 

Mr.  Gubbs  rubbed  his  eyes  and  pondered. 
"What's  the  towel  for?"  he  demanded,  sus- 
piciously. 

"Rub  you  down  with  after  you've  bathed," 
said  the  other. 

"  Bathed  1"  said  Mr.  Gubbs,  with  emphasis. 
"  Bathed  ?     What  for  ?  " 

"  Training,"  replied  Mr.  Larkins.     "  Hurry  up." 

"I  don't  believe  old  Bullock's  going  to  make 
Tarbut  bathe,"  said  Gubbs,  shivering;  "it's 
weakening." 

"  You  do  as  you  're  told,"  said  the  autocratic 
Larkins.    "  Bullock  don't  know  nothing  about  it." 

Mr.  Gubbs  sighed  and  withdrew  his  head, 
and  explaining  to  his  astonished  wife  that  he 
was  going  for  a  little  stroll,  gloomily  dressed 
himself  and  joined  his  trainer  below. 


THE    PEACEMAKER  267 

"  Shoulders  back,"  said  the  small  publican. 
"  Head  up." 

He  led  the  way  down  to  the  beach,  and, 
ignoring  the  looks  of  aversion  which  Mr.  Gubbs 
bestowed  upon  the  silver  sea,  stood  by  while  he 
disrobed  and  picked  his  way  painfully  over  the 
shingle  to  the  edge  of  the  water.  It  was  a 
bright  morning,  but  somewhat  chill,  and  Mr. 
Gubbs's  breathless  gaspings  furnished  an  ex- 
cellent clue  to  the  temperature  of  the  water. 

"  How   do   you   feel  ? "   inquired   Mr.  Larkins, 
anxiously,  as  he  rubbed  him  down. 
"  I  feel  ill,"  said  the  other,  shivering. 
"  You  '11    feel   better  when    you  've    had   your 
run,"  said  Larkins,  cheerily. 

'"Ad  my  w — w — wot}"  inquired  Mr.  Gubbs, 
staring  at  him  offensively,  and  rubbing  himself 
furiously  with  the  towel. 

"  Your  run,"  repeated  Larkins,  sternly.     "  You 

don't  want  your  coat.    I  '11  hold  that.    And  mind, 

I  don't  want  you  to  go  running  like  a  steam- 

engine,  or  a  runaway  horse." 

"  I  wasn't  goin'  to,"  said  Gubbs. 

"Just   trot   easy,"   continued   the   other,   "for 

about  half  a  mile.     Go  as  far  as  that  gate  over 

there,  then  rest  two  minutes  and  trot  back  again." 

His  manner  was  so  dictatorial  that  Mr.  Gubbs, 

remembering  in  time   his   score   at  the  "  Three 


268  LIGHT    FREIGHTS' 

Fishers,"  swallowed  something  he  was  going  to 
say — and  it  was  nearly  strong  enough  to  choke 
him — and  set  off  at  a  strange,  weird  gait  towards 
the  indicated  goal.  He  reached  it  at  last,  and 
after  a  long  two  minutes  started  back  again  in 
response  to  the  semaphore-like  appeals  of  the 
enthusiastic  Larkins. 

"  I  've  got  my  work  cut  out  for  me,  I  can  see," 
said  the  latter,  as  his  victim,  puffing  and  blowing, 
sat  down  on  the  ground.  "  But  I  '11  soon  get 
you  in  trim,  and  mind  you  keep  quiet  about  it. 
I  don't  want  Bullock  to  know." 

"Why  not?"  demanded  Mr.  Gubbs. 

"Because  he'd  train  Tarbut  the  same  way," 
said  Larkins,  with  a  cunning  grin. 

"Well,  why  shouldn't  Tarbut  'ave  a  doing 
same  as  me?"  said  Mr.  Gubbs,  vindictively. 
"Why  should  'e  be  a-laying  in  comfort  in  'is 
bed  while  I  'm  catching  cold  bathing  and  killing 
myself  running?" 

"  Don't  you  be  a  fool,"  said  Larkins,  affection- 
ately patting  him  on  the  shoulder.  "  Come  into 
my  place  when  you  have  time,  and  I  '11  put  the 
gloves  on  with  you  a  bit ;  and  be  careful  what 
you  eat,  mind,  else  you  '11  undo  all  the  good  I  've 
done  you." 

If  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  expectorate  sar- 
castically, Mr.  Gubbs  achieved  that  feat. 


THE    PEACEMAKER  269 

"  Only  two  cups  of  tea  with  your  breakfast," 
continued  Larkins,  solemnly,  "and  no  greens  for 
dinner,  and  I  '11  send  you  in  one  pint  of  old  ale 
every  day  free  gratis." 

The  tensity  of  Mr.  Gubbs's  features  relaxed,  and 
he  smiled  faintly  as  he  rose  and  accompanied  his 
friend  back.  Larkins  saw  him  to  his  door,  and 
after  explaining  fluently  to  Mrs.  Gubbs  that  her 
husband  was  training  for  a  race,  gave  her  explicit 
instructions  as  to  his  diet,  and  departed. 

It  was  a  source  of  much  joy  to  Mr.  Larkins, 
though  he  was  unable  to  persuade  Gubbs  to  share 
in  his  feelings,  that  Tarbut's  trainer  was  satisfied 
with  a  less  vigorous  system  for  his  man.  He  let 
Tarbut  off  with  a  cold  sponging  on  rising,  and  as 
Tarbut  had  his  own  ideas  as  to  what  constituted 
a  cold  sponging,  both  parties  were  well  pleased 
with  each  other. 

The  business-like  nature  of  these  proceedings 
was  keenly  appreciated  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
fishing  quarter.  Fights  had  happened  before  and 
doubtless  would  again,  but  they  were  mere  rough- 
and-tumble  affairs,  and  over  before  any  proper 
excitement  could  be  worked  up.  The  purse  had 
steadily  mounted  up  to  thirty-five  shillings,  and 
the  betting  varied  from  day  to  day. 

Each  man  had  his  knot  of  supporters,  and 
enthusiasm  had  reached  such  a  pitch  that  Gubbs, 


270  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

who  was  naturally  of  a  retiring  disposition,  had 
to  take  his  matutinal  tub  before  quite  a  circle  of 
admirers.  Opposition  on  the  part  of  the  ladies 
was  balked  by  continuing  to  allude  to  the  affair 
as  a  race,  though  Mrs.  Gubbs,  who  got  up  one 
morning  to  see  her  man  run,  went  home  in  a  state 
of  mind  bordering  upon  stupefaction. 

An  uneasy  feeling  was  caused  by  the  anxiety  of 
the  excellent  Mr.  Morgan  to  discover  the  time  and 
place  of  meeting.  No  information  was  afforded 
him,  and  as  he  had  indignantly  denied  any  inten- 
tion of  giving  the  alarm,  the  gentlemen  interested 
were  much  exercised  as  to  the  reasons  for  his 
curiosity. 

The  battle  was  fixed  for  a  Saturday  evening, 
the  two  trainers,  after  much  wordy  warfare,  having 
selected  a  site  which  Mr.  Larkins  insisted  had 
been  made  purposely  by  Nature  with  a  view  to 
affairs  of  the  kind.  Lofty  cliffs  hid  it  from  view, 
and  the  ground  itself  consisted  of  turf  so  soft 
and  spongy  that  Larkins  predicted  that  Tarbut 
would  bounce  up  from  it  like  an  indiarubber  ball. 
The  principals  expressed  themselves  as  satisfied, 
though  their  niggardliness  in  the  matter  of  thanks 
for  the  trouble  which  had  been  taken  over  the 
arrangements  formed  food  for  conversation  for 
the  trainers  all  the  way  home. 

The  boats  got  in  early  on  Friday  afternoon  with 


THE    PEACEMAKER  271 

their  fish.  The  catch  was  small  and  soon  disposed 
of,  and  then  the  attentive  trainers,  rescuing  their 
men  from  admirers,  who  were  feeling  their  arms 
and  putting  leading  questions  as  to  their  wind 
and  state  of  mind,  sent  them  indoors  with  concise 
instructions  as  to  how  they  were  to  spend  the  last 
evening.  Larkins  officiously  sent  his  man  off  for 
a  short,  sharp  walk  after  his  tea,  and  later  on, 
going  to  the  quay,  found  that  Bullock  had  given 
his  man  the  same  instructions. 

"  Don't  you  go  worrying  of  'em,  mind,"  said 
Larkins  sternly  to  the  group,  "an'  let  'em  ha^e  an 
easy  time  of  it  to-morrow  in  the  boats.  Both  of 
'em,"  he  added,  generously. 

"  Spoke  like  a  Briton,  Mr.  Larkins,"  said  an  old 
fisherman. 

"  What  I  want  is  fair  play  and  no  favour,"  said 
Mr.  Larkins  ;  "  it 's  to  be  a  genuine  sporting  affair. 
No  bad  blood  or  anything  of  that  kind.  After 
the  little  affair,  all  what  go  to  see  it  are  welcome 
to  one  drink  at  my  expense." 

"It's  time  my  man  was  back,"  said  Bullock, 
looking  up  the  road  which  led  over  the  cliffs.  "  I 
told  him  to  go  just  as  far  as  the  ground  and  back." 

"  Old  Peter  Morgan  's  gone  down  to  the  place 
too,  I  think,"  piped  a  small  lad  in  huge  boots. 
**  I  saw  'im  following  of  Tarbut." 

The  landlord  of  the  "  Three  Fishers  "  started 


272  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

uneasily.  "  It 's  on  my  mind,"  he  said,  in  a  melan- 
choly voice,  "that  that  blessed  old  teetotaller '11 
have  the  thing  stopped.  He'll  tell  the  police  or 
something." 

"  No  he  won't,"  said  the  old  fisherman  who  had 
spoken  before.  "  Me  an'  Peter  was  boys  together, 
an'  he's  never  done  anything  o'  that  sort  in  his 
life.  Before  old  Peter  got  religious  there  was 
nothing  he  liked  better  than  to  see  a  fight,  or  to 
take  part  in  one  either,  an'  it 's  my  opinion  he'd 
like  to  see  this  one,  only  he  don't  like  to  say  so." 

"  Well,  he  won't,"  said  Larkins,  grimly  ;  "  it  may 
be  as  you  say,  but  we  're  not  going  to  take  any 
risks." 

Conversation  became  general,  and  in  view  of 
the  nearness  of  the  event,  animated,  but  still  the 
two  gladiators  failed  to  put  in  an  appearance. 

"  He 's  overdoing  it,  that 's  what  he  is,"  said  Mr. 
Larkins,  referring  to  the  ardent  Gubbs.  "You 
can  'ave  a  man  too  willing.  He  '11  go  and  knock 
hisself  up." 

The  small  boy  came  up,  his  big  boots  clattering 
over  the  stones,  and,  shading  his  eyes  with  his 
hands,  looked  up  the  road.  The  other  men,  follow- 
ing his  gaze,  saw  three  men  advancing  lovingly 
arm-in-arm  towards  them. 

"  It — it  can't  be  old  Morgan  with  'em?"  said  Mr. 
Larkins. 


THE    PEACEMAKER  273 

"  It  is,  though,"  said  the  old  fisherman,  peering 
through  screwed-up  eyes.  "  They  've  made  it  up 
through  old  Peter,  that 's  wot  they  've  done.  He 's 
been  talking  at  'em  and  getting  at  'em,  and  now 
there  won't  be  no  fight." 

His  disappointed  auditors  groaned  in  chorus. 
"Won't   there,"  said    Larkins,  savagely.     "Ho — 

won't  there You  don't  think  me  and  my 

friend  Bullock  here  are  going  to  slave  three 
weeks  for  nothing,  do  you  ?  " 

"There  won't  be  no  fight,"  repeated  the  old 
man.  "  Look  how  loving  they  are !  All  three  of 
'em  as  close  together  as  sweethearts." 

The  advancing  trio  certainly  bore  out  the  old 
man's  words  to  the  letter.  Mr.  Peter  Morgan  was 
in  the  centre,  and  appeared  to  be  half-embracing 
his  companions. 

"Why,  they  can  hardly  walk,"  said  Bullock; 
"  they  've  been  too  far." 

"  Yes,  that 's  what  it  is,"  said  Larkins,  in  a  hollow 
voice. 

"  Seems  to  me,"  said  the  boy,  slowly,  "  that 
they  've  'ad  a  bit  of  a  scrap  already." 

The  crowd,  with  bated  breath,  stepped  out  to 
meet  them,  Larkins  and  Bullock  leading.  It  was 
evident  that  the  two  heroes  were  clinging  to 
Mr.  Morgan  more  for  support  than  from  any 
motives  of  affection,  and  it  was  no  less  evident 
S 


274  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

that  the  lad's  remark  as  to  a  bit  of  a  scrap 
was  capable  of  wide  interpretation.  In  a  few 
minutes  both  parties  were  face  to  face,  and  the 
two  trainers  gazing  at  their  charges  speechless 
with  indignation. 

"Which  is  Gubbs?"  demanded  Larkins  at  last, 
in  an  unnatural  voice. 

The  figure  on  Morgan's  right  arm  managed 
to  open  an  eye  and  to  twist  its  swollen  lips  into 
something  intended  for  a  smile. 

"  What  'ave  you  been  doing  ? "  vociferated  the 
incensed  landlord. 

"  Fightin',"  said  Gubbs,  speaking  with  some 
difficulty;  "it's  all  over  now.  It  was  a  draw, 
and  we're  going  to  halve  the  money  between 
us." 

"  Oh,  are  you,"  said  Larkins,  bitterly.  "  Well, 
you  won't  have  a  damned  ha'penny  of  it.  What 
do  you  mean  by  it  ?     Eh  ? " 

"  I  '11  tell  you  all  about  it,"  said  Morgan, 
who  was  looking  radiantly  happy.  "  I  saw 
Tarbut  going  up  the  road  and  I  followed  him 
and  talked  to  him,  and  by  and  by  up  comes 
Gubbs,  and  I  talked  to  him.  Then  I  found  out 
what,  of  course,  I  knew  before,  that  all  you  men 
were  trying  to  induce  these  poor  souls  to  knock 
each  other  about  for  money." 

Mr.  Larkins,  choking  helplessly,  looked  sternly 


THE    PEACEMAKER  275 

at  Mr.  Morgan,  and  pointed  an  incriminating 
finger  at  Tarbut's  visage. 

"  I  urged  'em  not  to  make  such  a  brutal  show 
of  themselves  for  money,"  continued  Mr.  Morgan, 
"  but  they  said  as  'ow  they  would.  Gubbs  said 
it  would  be  the  easiest  thirty-five  shillings  he  'd 
ever  earned,  and  Tarbut  said  it  was  him  as  was 
going  to  earn  it.  After  a  little  talk  o'  this  kind, 
Gubbs  here  'it  Tarbut  smack  in  the  eye." 

Tarbut  gave  a  faint  groan  in  confirmation. 

"Then  they  both  started  to  peel,"  continued 
Mr.  Morgan. 

"Why  didn't  you  stop  'em?"  inquired  the  ex- 
coastguard  ;  "  it  was  your  duty  as  a  Christian  to 
stop  'em." 

"  I  thought  it  was  better  for  'em  to  fight  like 
that  than  to  make  a  brutal  exhibition  of  them- 
selves," said  Mr.  Morgan,  with  dignity.  "  It  was 
a  revolting  spectacle,  shocking,  and  I  'm  glad  and 
thankful  there  was  nobody  there  but  me  to  see 
'em  make  such  brute  beasts  of  themselves." 

A  threatening  murmur  broke  from  the  crowd. 

"  There  in  that  sweet  secluded  spot,"  said  Mr. 
Morgan,  shaking  his  head, "these  two  men, stripped 
to  the  waist,  knocked  one  another  about  for  fifteen 
rounds.  First  blood  fell  to  Tarbut,  he  got  in  with 
his  left  on  Gubbs's  nose,  then  Gubbs  up  with  a 
fearful  blow  and  knocked  him   flat.     It  was   as 


276  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

clean  a  blow  as  ever  I  see.  I  took  Tarbut  on  my 
knee — poor  fellow,  he  was  doing  wrong,  but  still 
he  was  suffering,  and  Peter  Morgan 's  always  got 
a  knee  for  the  sufferer.  Second  round  he  was 
more  cautious,  and  watching  'is  opportunity,  he 
clenched  and  fell  with  Gubbs  underneath.  It  was 
a  disgusting  spectacle." 

Mr.  Larkins  bent  savagely  over  to  Mr.  Bullock 
and  whispered  in  his  ear. 

"  When  time  was  called  " — said  Mr.  Morgan. 

"Who  called  it?"  inquired  a  voice,  with  the 
air  of  one  making  a  point. 

"  I  did,"  said  Mr.  Morgan  ;  "  there  was  nobody 
else ; — both  of  'em  walked  round  each  other  a  bit, 
sparring  and  looking  for  opportunities.  I  think 
the  third  round  was  the  longest  of  all.  Both  of 
'em  kept  getting  in  a  lot  of  little  knocks  and  then 
dodging  away  again.  Then  Tarbut  caught  Gubbs 
one  in  the  bread-ba — in  the  wind — and  then 
followed  up  on  his  jaw  and  knocked  him  down 
again.     It  was  a  disgusting  spectacle." 

"  Must  ha'  been,"  said  a  dejected  voice. 

"After  that  there  was  twelve  more  rounds," 
continued  the  narrator  ;  "  sometimes  Tarbut  had 
the  best  of  it,  and  sometimes  Gubbs.  Both  men 
was  very  determined  and  fought  very  fair.  It 
was  good,  solid  hard  hitting,  and  they  were 
marked  all  over  before  they  'd  finished.     Once 


THE    PEACEMAKER  277 

Gubbs  gave  Tarbut  a  blow  over  the  heart,  and  I 
thought  he  wouldn't  get  up  to  time." 

"  I  wouldn't  if  you  hadn't  blowed  water  into 
my  face  out  of  that  puddle,"  said  Tarbut. 

"  It  was  a  most  disgusting  spectacle,"  said  Mr. 
Peter  Morgan,  hurriedly. 

"Seems  to  me "  began  Larkins,  ferociously. 

"  Two  fine  strong  men,  stripped  to  the  waist, 
hard  as  nails,  knocking  each  other  about  for 
money,"  said  Mr.  Morgan.  "  They  're  never  going 
to  fight  any  more.  I  made  'em  promise  they 
wouldn't.  They  're  good  friends  now  ;  ain't  you, 
lads?" 

With  an  utter  disregard  of  the  feelings  of  the 
bystanders  the  two  men  shook  hands. 

"  And  though  I  regard  fighting  with  horror," 
concluded  Mr.  Morgan,  beaming  on  them,  "  I 
think  that,  as  it  was  a  bargain,  you  should  divide 
the  purse  between  'em." 

"They  won't  get  a  farthing  of  it,"  said  Mr. 
Larkins,  explosively,  "  unless  you  like  to  give  it 
to  'em  out  of  your  own  pocket." 

"  Me ! "  said  Mr.  Morgan,  opening  his  eyes. 
«  why  ? " 

"Ask  yourself,"  said  Mr.  Larkins,  pointedly. 
"  I  should  say  if  any  man  ever  'ad  thirty  five 
shillingsworth  of  sport  all  to  hisself,  you  have; 
and,  what 's  more,  you  know  it,  Mr.  Peter  Morgan." 


278  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

The  peacemaker  sighed,  and,  turning,  led  his 
charges  gently  away.  The  crowd  watched  them 
as  far  as  the  "  Three  Fishers,"  and  observing  that 
they  detached  themselves  by  force  from  their 
guide  and  friend,  crossed  the  road  and  followed 
them  in. 


FALSE   COLOURS 

"  f~\F  course,  there  is  a  deal  of  bullying  done 

^-^  at  sea  at  times,"  said  the  night-watchman, 
thoughtfully.  "  The  men  call  it  bullying  an'  the 
officers  call  it  discipline,  but  it's  the  same  thing 
under  another  name.  Still,  it 's  fair  in  a  way.  It 
gets  passed  on  from  one  to  another.  Everybody 
aboard  a'most  has  got  somebody  to  bully,  except, 
perhaps,  the  boy ;  he  'as  the  worst  of  it,  unless 
he  can  manage  to  get  the  ship's  cat  by  itself 
occasionally. 

"  I  don't  think  sailor-men  mind  being  bullied. 
I  never  'eard  of  its  putting  one  off  'is  feed  yet, 
and  that's  the  main  thing,  arter  all's  said  and 
done. 

"  Fust  officers  are  often  worse  than  skippers. 
In  the  fust  place,  they  know  they  ain't  skippers, 
an'  that  alone  is  enough  to  put  'em  in  a  bad 
temper,  especially  if  they  've  'ad  their  certifikit  a 
good  many  years  and  can't  get  a  vacancy. 

"  I  remember,  a  good  many  years  ago  now,  I 
was  lying  at  Calcutta  one  time  in  the  Peewit,  as 

179 


280  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

fine  a  barque  as  you  'd  wish  to  see,  an'  we  'ad  a 
fust  mate  there  as  was  a  disgrace  to  'is  sects.  A 
nasty,  bullying,  violent  man,  who  used  to  call 
the  hands  names  as  they  didn't  know  the  mean- 
ings of  and  what  was  no  use  looking  in  the 
dictionary  for. 

"  There  was  one  chap  aboard,  Bill  Cousins,  as 
he  used  to  make  a  partickler  mark  of.  Bill  'ad 
the  misfortin  to  'ave  red  'air,  and  the  way  the 
mate  used  to  throw  that  in  'is  face  was  disgrace- 
ful. Fortunately  for  us  all,  the  skipper  was  a 
very  decent  sort  of  man,  so  that  the  mate  was 
only  at  'is  worst  when  he  wasn't  by. 

"  We  was  sitting  in  the  fo'c's'le  at  tea  one  arter- 
noon,  when  Bill  Cousins  came  down,  an'  we  see 
at  once  'e  'd  'ad  a  turn  with  the  mate.  He  sat 
all  by  hisself  for  some  time  simmering,  an'  then 
he  broke  out.  '  One  o'  these  days  I  '11  swing  for 
'im  ;  mark  my  words.' 

'"Don't  be  a  fool,  Bill,'  ses  Joe  Smith. 

"'If  I  could  on'y  mark  'im,' ses  Bill,  catching 
his  breath.  'Just  mark  'im  fair  an'  square.  If 
I  could  on'y  'ave  'im  alone  for  ten  minutes,  with 
nobody  standing  by  to  see  fair  play.  But,  o' 
course,  if  I  'it  'im  it's  mutiny.' 

'"You  couldn't  do  it  if  it  wasn't,  Bill,'  ses  Joe 
Smith  again. 

" '  He  walks  about  the  town  as  though  the  place 


FALSE    COLOURS  281 

belongs  to  'im/  said  Ted  Hill.  '  Most  of  us  is 
satisfied  to  shove  the  niggers  out  o'  the  way,  but 
he  ups  fist  and  'its  'em  if  they  comes  within  a 
yard  of  'im.' 

" '  Why  don't  they  'it  'im  back  ? '  ses  Bill.  '  I 
would  if  I  was  them.' 

"  Joe  Smith  grunted.  «  Well,  why  don't  you  ? ' 
he  asked. 

""Cos  I  ain't  a  nigger,'  ses  Bill. 

" '  Well,  but  you  might  be,'  ses  Joe,  very  earnest. 
1  Black  your  face  an'  'ands  an'  legs,  and  dress  up 
in  them  cotton  things,  and  go  ashore  and  get 
in  'is  way.' 

" '  If  you  will,  I  will,  Bill,'  ses  a  chap  called  Bob 
Pullin. 

"  Well,  they  talked  it  over  and  over,  and  at  last 
Joe,  who  seemed  to  take  a  great  interest  in  it, 
went  ashore  and  got  the  duds  for  'em.  They  was 
a  tight  fit  for  Bill,  Hindoos  not  being  as  wide  as 
they  might  be,  but  Joe  said  if  'e  didn't  bend  about 
he  'd  be  all  right,  and  Pullin,  who  was  a  smaller 
man,  said  his  was  fust  class. 

"  After  they  were  dressed,  the  next  question 
was  wot  to  use  to  colour  them  with ;  coal  was 
too  scratchy,  an'  ink  Bill  didn't  like.  Then  Ted 
Hill  burnt  a  cork  and  started  on  Bill's  nose  with 
it  afore  it  was  cool,  an'  Bill  didn't  like  that. 

"•  Look  'ere,'  ses  the  carpenter,  '  nothin'  seems 


282  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

to  please  you,  Bill — it 's  my  opinion  you  're  back- 
ing out  of  it' 

" '  You  're  a  liar,'  ses  Bill. 

u  *  Well,  I  've  got  some  stuff  in  a  can  as  might 
be  boiled-down  Hindoo  for  all  you  could  tell  to 
the  difference,'  ses  the  carpenter  ;  '  and  if  you  '11 
keep  that  ugly  mouth  of  yours  shut,  I  '11  paint 
you  myself.' 

"  Well,  Bill  was  a  bit  flattered,  the  carpenter 
being  a  very  superior  sort  of  a  man,  and  quite  an 
artist  in  'is  way,  an'  Bill  sat  down  an'  let  'im  do 
'im  with  some  stuff  out  of  a  can  that  made  'im 
look  like  a  Hindoo  what  'ad  been  polished.  Then 
Bob  Pullin  was  done  too,  an'  when  they'd  got 
their  turbins  on,  the  change  in  their  appearance 
was  wonderful. 

"  '  Feels  a  bit  stiff,'  ses  Bill,  working  'is  mouth. 

"'That'll  wear  off,'  ses  the  carpenter;  'it 
wouldn't  be  you  if  you  didn't  'ave  a  grumble,  Bill.' 

"'  And  mind  and  don't  spare  *im,  Bill,'  ses  Joe. 
'There's  two  of  you,  an'  if  you  only  do  wot's 
expected  of  you,  the  mate  ought  to  'ave  a  easy 
time  abed  this  v'y'ge.' 

" '  Let  the  mate  start  fust,'  ses  Ted  Hill.  '  He 's 
sure  to  start  on  you  if  you  only  get  in  'is  way. 
Lord,  I  'd  like  to  see  his  face  when  you  start 
on  'im ! ' 

"  Well,  the  two  of  'em  went  ashore  arter  dark 


FALSE    COLOURS  283 

with  the  best  wishes  o'  all  on  board,  an'  the  rest 
of  us  sat  down  in  the  fo'c's'le  spekerlating  as  to 
what  sort  o'  time  the  mate  was  goin'  to  'ave.  He 
went  ashore  all  right,  because  Ted  Hill  see  'im 
go,  an'  he  noticed  with  partickler  pleasure  as  'ow 
he  was  dressed  very  careful. 

"  It  must  ha'  been  near  eleven  o'clock.  I  was 
sitting  with  Smith  on  the  port  side  o'  the  galley, 
when  we  heard  a  'ubbub  approaching  the  ship. 
It  was  the  mate  just  coming  aboard.  He  was 
without  'is  'at ;  'is  necktie  was  twisted  round  'is 
ear,  and  'is  shirt  and  'is  collar  was  all  torn  to 
shreds.  The  second  and  third  officers  ran  up  to 
him  to  see  what  was  the  matter,  and  while  he 
was  telling  them,  up  comes  the  skipper. 

•"You  don't  mean  to  tell  me,  Mr.  Fingall,'  ses 
the  skipper,  in  surprise, '  that  you  've  been  knocked 
about  like  that  by  them  mild  and  meek  Hindoos  ? ' 

"'  Hindoos,  sir? '  roared  the  mate.  '  Cert'nly 
not,  sir.  I  've  been  assaulted  like  this  by  five 
German  sailor-men.     And  I  licked  'em  all.' 

" '  I  'm  glad  to  hear  that,'  ses  the  skipper ;  and 
the  second  and  third  pats  the  mate  on  the  back 
— just  like  you  pat  a  dog  you  don't  know. 

" ( Big  fellows  they  was,'  ses  he,  '  an'  they  give 
me  some  trouble.     Look  at  my  eye  I ' 

"  The  second  officer  struck  a  match  and  looked 
at  it,  and  it  cert'n'y  was  a  beauty. 


284  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  I  hope  you  reported  this  at  the  police- 
station  ? '  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  No,  sir,'  ses  the  mate,  holding  up  'is  'ead. 
1 1  don't  want  no  p'lice  to  protect  me.  Five 's  a 
large  number,  but  I  drove  'em  off,  and  I  don't 
think  they '11  meddle  with  any  British  fust-officers 
again.' 

"  •  You  'd  better  turn  in,'  ses  the  second,  leading 
him  off  by  the  arm. 

"  The  mate  limped  off  with  him,  and  as  soon 
as  the  coast  was  clear  we  put  our  'eads  together 
and  tried  to  make  out  how  it  was  that  Bill 
Cousins  and  Bob  'ad  changed  themselves  into 
five  German  sailor-men. 

"  '  It 's  the  mate's  pride,'  ses  the  carpenter.  ■  He 
didn't  like  being  knocked  about  by  Hindoos.' 

"  We  thought  it  was  that,  but  we  had  to  wait 
nearly  another  hour  afore  the  two  came  aboard, 
to  make  sure.  There  was  a  difference  in  the  way 
they  came  aboard,  too,  from  that  of  the  mate. 
They  didn't  make  no  noise,  and  the  fust  thing  we 
knew  of  their  coming  aboard  was  seeing  a  bare, 
black  foot  waving  feebly  at  the  top  of  the  fo'c's'le 
ladder  feelin'  for  the  step  below. 

"  That  was  Bob.  He  came  down  without  a 
word,  and  then  we  see  'e  was  holding  another 
black  foot  and  guiding  it  to  where  it  should  go. 
That  was  Bill,  an'  of  all  the  'orrid,  limp-looking 


FALSE    COLOURS  285 

blacks  that  you  ever  see,  Bill  was  the  worst  when 
he  got  below.  He  just  sat  on  a  locker  all  of  a 
heap  and  held  'is  'ead,  which  was  swollen  up,  in  'is 
hands.  Bob  went  and  sat  beside  'im,  and  there 
they  sat,  for  all  the  world  like  two  wax  figgers 
instead  o'  human  beings. 

"  •  Well,  you  done  it,  Bill,'  ses  Joe,  after  waiting 
a  long  time  for  them  to  speak.  '  Tell  us  all 
about  it.' 

" '  Nothin'  to  tell,'  ses  Bill,  very  surly.  '  We 
knocked  'im  about.' 

" '  And  he  knocked  us  about,'  ses  Bob,  with  a 
groan.    '  I  'm  sore  all  over,  and  as  for  my  feet ' 

" '  Wot 's  the  matter  with  them  ? '  ses  Joe. 

"'Trod  on,'  ses  Bob,  very  short.  'If  my  bare 
feet  was  trod  on  once  they  was  a  dozen  times. 
I  've  never  'ad  such  a  doing  in  all  my  life.  He 
fought  like  a  devil.  I  thought  he  'd  ha'  murdered 
Bill.' 

" '  I  wish  'e  'ad,'  ses  Bill,  with  a  groan  ;  '  my 
face  is  bruised  and  cut  about  cruel.  I  can't  bear 
to  touch  it.' 

" '  Do  you  mean  to  say  the  two  of  you  couldn't 
settle  'im? '  ses  Joe,  staring. 

" '  I  mean  to  say  we  got  a  hiding,'  ses  Bill.  '  We 
got  close  to  him  fust  start  off  and  got  our  feet 
trod  on.  Arter  that  it  was  like  fighting  a  wind- 
mill, with  sledge-hammers  for  sails.' 


236  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"  He  gave  a  groan  and  turned  over  in  his  bunk, 
and  when  we  asked  him  some  more  about  it,  he 
swore  at  us.  They  both  seemed  quite  done  up, 
and  at  last  they  dropped  off  to  sleep  just  as  they 
was,  without  even  stopping  to  wash  the  black  off 
or  to  undress  themselves. 

"  I  was  awoke  rather  early  in  the  morning  by 
the  sounds  of  somebody  talking  to  themselves, 
and  a  little  splashing  of  water.  It  seemed  to  go 
on  a  long  while,  and  at  last  I  leaned  out  of  my 
bunk  and  see  Bill  bending  over  a  bucket  and 
washing  himself  and  using  bad  langwidge. 

" '  Wot 's  the  matter,  Bill  ? '  ses  Joe,  yawning 
and  sitting  up  in  bed. 

"'My  skin's  that  tender,  I  can  hardly  touch 
it,'  ses  Bill,  bending  down  and  rinsing  'is  face. 
'Is  it  all  orf?' 

"'Orf?'  ses  Joe;  'no,  o'  course  it  ain't.  Why 
don't  you  use  some  soap  ? ' 

" '  Soap,'  answers  Bill,  mad-like  ;  '  why,  I  've 
used  more  soap  than  I  've  used  for  six  months 
in  the  ordinary  way.' 

" '  That 's  no  good,'  ses  Joe ;  '  give  yourself  a 
good  wash.' 

"  Bill  put  down  the  soap  then  very  careful,  and 
went  over  to  'im  and  told  him  all  the  dreadful 
things  he  'd  do  to  him  when  he  got  strong  agin, 
and  then  Bob  Pullin  got  out  of  his  bunk  an'  'ad 


FALSE    COLOURS  287 

a  try  on  his  face.  Him  an'  Bill  kept  washing, 
and  then  taking  each  other  to  the  light  and  trying 
to  believe  it  was  coming  off  until  they  got  sick 
of  it,  and  then  Bill,  'e  up  with  his  foot  and 
capsized  the  bucket,  and  walked  up  and  down 
the  fo'c's'le  raving. 

"'Well,  the  carpenter  put  it  on,'  ses  a  voice, 
1  make  'im  take  it  orf.' 

"  You  wouldn't  believe  the  job  we  'ad  to  wake 
that  man  up.  He  wasn't  fairly  woke  till  he  was 
hauled  out  of  'is  bunk  an'  set  down  opposite 
them  two  pore  black  fellers  an'  told  to  make  'em 
white  again. 

" '  I  don't  believe  as  there 's  anything  will 
touch  it,'  he  says,  at  last.  '  I  forgot  all  about 
that.' 

" '  Do  you  mean  to  say,'  bawls  Bill, '  that  we  've 
got  to  be  black  all  the  rest  of  our  life  ? ' 

"'Cert'nly  not,'  ses  the  carpenter,  indignantly, 
'it'll  wear  off  in  time;  shaving  every  morning '11 
'elp  it,  I  should  say.' 

" '  I  '11  get  my  razor  now,'  ses  Bill,  in  a  awful 
voice ;  '  don't  let  'im  go,  Bob.  I  '11  'ack  'is 
head  orf.' 

"  He  actually  went  off  an'  got  his  razor,  but, 
o'  course,  we  jumped  out  of  our  bunks  and  got 
between  'em  and  told  him  plainly  that  it  was  not 
to  be,  and  then  we  set  'em  down  and  tried  every- 


288  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

thing  we  could  think  of,  from  butter  and  linseed 
oil  to  cold  tea-leaves  used  as  a  poultice,  and  all 
it  did  was  to  make  'em  shinier  an'  shinier. 

"'It's  no  good,  I  tell  you/  ses  the  carpenter, 
'it's  the  most  lasting  black  I  know.  If  I  told 
you  how  much  that  stuff  is  a  can,  you  wouldn't 
believe  me.' 

"'  Well,  you  're  in  it,'  ses  Bill,  his  voice  all  of 
a  tremble ;  '  you  done  it  so  as  we  could  knock 
the  mate  about.  Whatever 's  done  to  us '11  be 
done  to  you  too.' 

"'I  don't  think  turps '11  touch  it,'  ses  the 
carpenter,  getting  up,  •  but  we'll  'ave  a  try.' 

"  He  went  and  fetched  the  can  and  poured 
some  out  on  a  bit  o'  rag  and  told  Bill  to  dab 
his  face  with  it.  Bill  give  a  dab,  and  the  next 
moment  he  rushed  over  with  a  scream  and  buried 
his  head  in  a  shirt  wot  Simmons  was  wearing 
at  the  time  and  began  to  wipe  his  face  with  it. 
Then  he  left  the  flustered  Simmons  an'  shoved 
another  chap  away  from  the  bucket  and  buried 
his  face  in  it  and  kicked  and  carried  on  like  a 
madman.  Then  'e  jumped  into  his  bunk  again 
and  buried  'is  face  in  the  clothes  and  rocked 
hisself  and  moaned  as  if  he  was  dying. 

" '  Don't  you  use  it,  Bob,'  he  ses,  at  last. 

'"'Tain't  likely,'  ses  Bob.  'It's  a  good  thing 
you  tried  it  fust,  Bill.' 


FALSE    COLOURS  289 

1 '  'Ave  they  tried  holy-stone  ?  '  ses  a  voice 
from  a  bunk. 

" '  No,  they  ain't,'  ses  Bob,  snappishly,  *  and, 
what 's  more,  they  ain't  goin'  to.' 

"  Both  o'  their  tempers  was  so  bad  that  we  let 
the  subject  drop  while  we  was  at  breakfast.  The 
orkard  persition  of  affairs  could  no  longer  be  dis- 
regarded. Fust  one  chap  threw  out  a  'int  and 
then  another,  gradually  getting  a  little  stronger 
and  stronger,  until  Bill  turned  round  in  a  uncom- 
fortable way  and  requested  of  us  to  leave  off 
talking  with  our  mouths  full  and  speak  up  like 
Englishmen  wot  we  meant. 

" '  You  see,  it 's  this  way,  Bill,'  ses  Joe,  soft-like. 
'  As  soon  as  the  mate  sees  you  there  '11  be  trouble 
for  all  of  us.' 

"'For  all  of  us,'  repeats  Bill,  nodding. 

"'  Whereas,'  ses  Joe,  looking  round  for  support, 
'  if  we  gets  up  a  little  collection  for  you  and  you 
should  find  it  convenient  to  desart ' 

" '  'Ear,  'ear,'  ses  a  lot  o'  voices.     '  Bravo,  Joe.' 

" '  Oh,  desart  is  it  ? '  ses  Bill ;  '  an'  where  are  we 
goin'  to  desart  to?' 

" '  Well,  that  we  leave  to  you,'  ses  Joe  ;  '  there 's 
many  a  ship  short-'anded  as  would  be  glad  to 
pick  up  sich  a  couple  of  prime  sailor-men  as  you 
an'  Bob.' 

" '  Ah,  an'  wot  about  our  black  faces  ? '  ses 
T 


290  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

Bill,  still  in  the  same  sneering,  ungrateful  sort 
o'  voice. 

" '  That  can  be  got  over,'  ses  Joe. 

""Ow?'  ses  Bill  and  Bob  together. 

'"Ship  as  nigger-cooks,'  ses  Joe,  slapping  his 
knee  and  looking  round  triumphant. 

"It's  no  good  trying  to  do  some  people  a 
kindness.  Joe  was  perfectly  sincere,  and  nobody 
could  say  but  wot  it  wasn't  a  good  idea,  but 
o'  course  Mr.  Bill  Cousins  must  consider  hisself 
insulted,  and  I  can  only  suppose  that  the  trouble 
he  'd  gone  through  'ad  affected  his  brain.  Like- 
wise Bob  Pullin's.  Anyway,  that 's  the  only 
excuse  I  can  make  for  'em.  To  cut  a  Ion? 
story  short,  nobody  'ad  any  more  breakfast,  and 
no  time  to  do  anything  until  them  two  men  was 
scrouged  up  in  a  corner  an'  'eld  there  unable  to 
move. 

"'I'd  never  'ave  done 'em,'  ses  the  carpenter, 
arter  it  was  all  over,  'if  I  'd  known  they  was 
goin'  to  carry  on  like  this.  They  wanted  to  be 
done.' 

"'The  mate '11  half  murder  'em,'  ses  Ted  Hill. 

"He'll  'ave  'em  sent  to  gaol,  that's  wot 
ne'll  do,'  ses  Smith.  'It's  a  s,erious  matter  to 
go  ashore  and  commit  assault  and  battery  on 
the  mate.' 

" '  You  're  all  in  it,'  ses  the  voice  o'  Bill  from  the 


FALSE    COLOURS  291 

floor.  '  I  'm  going  to  make  a  clean  breast  of  it. 
Joe  Smith  put  us  up  to  it,  the  carpenter  blacked 
us,  and  the  others  encouraged  us.' 

" '  Joe  got  the  clothes  for  us,'  ses  Bob.  '  I  know 
the  place  he  got  'em  from,  too.' 

"  The  ingratitude  o'  these  two  men  was  sich 
that  at  first  we  decided  to  have  no  more  to  do 
with  them,  but  better  feelings  prevailed,  and  we 
held  a  sort  o'  meeting  to  consider  what  was  best 
to  be  done.  An'  everything  that  was  suggested 
one  o'  them  two  voices  from  the  floor  found  fault 
with  and  wouldn't  'ave,  and  at  last  we  'ad  to  go 
up  on  deck  with  nothing  decided  upon,  except  to 
swear  'ard  and  fast  as  we  knew  nothing  about  it. 

" '  The  only  advice  we  can  give  you,'  ses  Joe, 
looking  back  at  'em,  '  is  to  stay  down  'ere  as  long 
as  you  can.' 

"  A'most  the  fust  person  we  see  on  deck  was 
the  mate,  an'  a  pretty  sight  he  was.  He  'd  got 
a  bandage  round  'is  left  eye,  and  a  black  ring 
round  the  other.  His  nose  was  swelled  and  his 
lip  cut,  but  the  other  officers  were  making  sich 
a  fuss  over  'im,  that  I  think  he  rather  gloried 
in  it  than  otherwise. 

"  •  Where 's  them  other  two  'ands  ?  '  he  ses 
by  and  by,  glaring  out  of  'is  black  eye. 

" '  Down  below,  sir,  I  b'lieve,'  ses  the  carpenter, 
ill  of  a  tremble. 


292  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

"'Go  an'  send  'em  up,'  ses  the  mate  to  Smith. 

" '  Yessir,'  ses  Joe,  without  moving. 

"  '  Well,  go  on  then,'  roars  the  mate. 

"'They  ain't  over  and  above  well,  sir,  this 
morning,'  ses  Joe. 

"'Send  'em  up,  confound  you,'  ses  the  mate, 
limping  towards  'im. 

"  Well,  Joe  give  'is  shoulders  a  'elpless  sort 
o'  shrug  and  walked  forward  and  bawled  down 
the  fo'c's'le. 

"'They're  coming,  sir,'  he  ses,  walking  back  to 
the  mate  just  as  the  skipper  came  out  of  'is 
cabin. 

"  We  all  went  on  with  our  work  as  'ard  as  we 
knew  'ow.  The  skipper  was  talking  to  the  mate 
about  'is  injuries,  and  saying  unkind  things 
about  Germans,  when  he  give  a  sort  of  a  shout 
and  staggered  back  staring.  We  just  looked 
round,  and  there  was  them  two  blackamoors 
coming  slowly  towards  us. 

"'  Good  heavens,  Mr.  Fingall,'  ses  the  old  man. 
'  What 's  this  ? ' 

"  I  never  see  sich  a  look  on  any  man's  face 
as  I  saw  on  the  mate's  then.  Three  times  'e 
opened  'is  mouth  to  speak,  and  shut  it  agin 
without  saying  anything.  The  veins  on  'is 
forehead  swelled  up  tremendous  and  'is  cheeks 
was  all  blown  out  purple. 


FALSE    COLOURS  293 

"'That's  Bill  Cousins'  hair,'  ses  the  skipper 
to  himself.  'It's  Bill  Cousins'  hair.  It's  Bill 
Cous ' 

"  Bob  walked  up  to  him,  with  Bill  lagging 
a  little  way  behind,  and  then  he  stops  just 
in  front  of  'im  and  fetches  up  a  sort  o'  little 
smile. 

" '  Don't  you  make  those  faces  at  me,  sir,'  roars 
the  skipper.  '  What  do  you  mean  by  it  ?  What 
have  you  been  doing  to  yourselves  ? ' 

"'Nothin',  sir,'  ses  Bill,  'umbly;  'it  was  done 
to  us.' 

"  The  carpenter,  who  was  just  going  to  cooper 
up  a  cask  which  'ad  started  a  bit,  shook  like  a 
leaf,  and  gave  Bill  a  look  that  would  ha'  melted 
a  stone. 

"  '  Who  did  it  ? '  ses  the  skipper. 

" '  We  've  been  the  wictims  of  a  cruel  outrage, 
sir,'  ses  Bill,  doing  all  'e  could  to  avoid  the  mate's 
eye,  which  wouldn't  be  avoided. 

" '  So  I  should  think,'  ses  the  skipper.  '  You  've 
been  knocked  about,  too.' 

" '  Yessir,'  ses  Bill,  very  respectful ;  '  me  and 
Bob  was  ashore  last  night,  sir,  just  for  a  quiet 
look  round,  when  we  was  set  on  to  by  five 
furriners. 

"'  What}'  ses  the  skipper;  and  I  won't  repeat 
what  the  mate  said. 


294  LIGHT    FREIGHTS 

" '  We  fought  'em  as  long  as  we  could,  sir,'  ses 
Bill,  'then  we  was  both  knocked  senseless,  and 
when  we  came  to  ourselves  we  was  messed  up 
like  this  'ere.' 

"  What  sort  o'  men  were  they  ? '  asked  the 
skipper,  getting  excited. 

"'Sailor-men,  sir,'  ses  Bob,  putting  in  his 
spoke.  '  Dutchies  or  Germans,  or  something  o' 
that  sort.' 

"'Was  there  one  tall  man,  with  a  fair  beard,' 
ses  the  skipper,  getting  more  and  more  excited. 

" '  Yessir,'  ses  Bill,  in  a  surprised  sort  o'  voice. 

"  '  Same  gang,'  ses  the  skipper,  "  Same  gang 
as  knocked  Mr.  Fingall  about,  you  may  depend 
upon  it.  Mr.  Fingall,  it 's  a  mercy  for  you  you 
didn't  get  your  face  blacked  too.' 

"  I  thought  the  mate  would  ha'  burst.  I  can't 
understand  how  any  man  could  swell  as  he 
swelled  without  bursting. 

" '  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it,'  he  ses,  at  last. 

" '  Why  not  ? '  ses  the  skipper,  sharply. 

"'Well,  I  don't,'  ses  the  mate,  his  voice  trem- 
bling with  passion.     '  I  'ave  my  reasons.' 

" '  I  s'pose  you  don't  think  these  two  poor 
fellows  went  and  blacked  themselves  for  fun, 
do  you  ? '  ses  the  skipper. 

"  The  mate  couldn't  answer. 

"'And   then    went    and    knocked    themselves 


FALSE    COLOURS  295 

about  for  more  fun  ? '  ses  the  skipper,  very 
sarcastic. 

"The  mate  didn't  answer.  He  looked  round 
helpless  like,  and  see  the  third  officer  swopping 
glances  with  the  second,  and  all  the  men  looking 
sly  and  amused,  and  I  think  if  ever  a  man  saw 
'e  was  done  'e  did  at  that  moment. 

"  He  turned  away  and  went  below,  and  the 
skipper  arter  reading  us  all  a  little  lecture  on 
getting  into  rights  without  reason,  sent  the  two 
chaps  below  agin  and  told  'em  to  turn  in  and 
rest.  He  was  so  good  to  'em  all  the  way  'ome, 
and  took  sich  a  interest  in  seeing  'em  change 
from  black  to  brown  and  from  light  brown  to 
spotted  lemon,  that  the  mate  daren't  do  nothing 
to  them,  but  gave  us  their  share  of  what  he 
owed  them  as  well  as  an  extra  dose  of  our 
own." 


Edinburgh  :  Printed  by  T.  and  A.  Constable. 


A  CATALOGUE  OF   BOOKS 
PUBLISHED  BY  METHUEN 

AND  COMPANY:  LONDON 

36  ESSEX  STREET 

W.C. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

PAGE 

GENERAL   LITERATURE,     . 

2-19 

LITTLE  BOOKS  ON  ART, 

25 

ANCIENT  CITIES,     . 

19 

LITTLE  GALLERIES, 

26 

antiquary's  BOOKS,     . 

19 

LITTLE  GUIDES, 

20 

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19 

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26 

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20 

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20 

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28 

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20 

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28 

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21 

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28 

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21 

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29 

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21 

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29 

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22 

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30 

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22 

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U      23 

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30 

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OF 

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31 

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23 

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32-40 

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24 

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37 

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:s,     24 

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38 

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25 

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38 

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25 

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39 

OCTOBER    1905 


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8 


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Kestell  (J.  D.).  THROUGH  SHOT  AND 
FLAME  :  Being  the  Adventures  and  Ex- 
periences of  J.  D.  Kestell,  Chaplain  to 
General  Christian  de  Wet.  Crozun  St'O.  6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 

Kimmins  (0.  W.),  M.A.  THE  CHEMIS- 
TRY OF  LIFE  AND  HEALTH.  Illus- 
trated.     Crown  Svo.     is.  6d. 

Kinglake  (A.  W.).     See  Little  Library. 

Kipling  (Rudyard).     BARRACK-ROOM 

BALLADS.     73rd  Thousand.    Crown  Svo. 
Twenty-first  Edition.     6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 
THE  SEVEN  SEAS.  6md  Thousand.  Tenth 
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THE   FIVE    NATIONS.      41^    Thousand. 
Second  Edition.    Crown  Svo.     6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published 
DEPARTMENTAL  DITTIES.     Sixteenth 
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A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 


General  Literature 


ii 


Knowling  (R.  J.),  M.A.J  Professor  of  New 
Testament  Exegesis  at  King's  College, 
London.     See  Westminster  Commentaries. 

Lamb  (Charles  and  Mary),  THE  WORKS 
OF.  Edited  by  E.  V.  Lucas.  With 
Numerous  Illustrations,  hi  Seven  Volumes. 
Demy  Zvo.     ys.  6d.  each. 

THE  LIFE  OF.     See  E.  V.  Lucas. 

THE  ESSAYS  OF  ELIA.  With  over  100 
Illustrations  by  A.  Garth  Jones,  and  an 
Introduction  by  E.  V.  Lucas.  Dewy  Zvo. 
10s.  6d. 

THE  KING  AND  QUEEN  OF  HEARTS  : 
An  i3o5  Book  for  Children.  Illustrated  by 
William  Mulready.  A  new  edition,  in 
facsimile,  edited  by  E.  V.  Lucas,  is.  6d. 
See  also  Little  Library. 

Lambert  (F.  A.  H.).     See  The  Little  Guides. 

LambrOS (Professor).    See  Bvzantine  Texts. 

Lane-Poole  (Stanley).  A  HISTORY  OF 
EGYPT  IN  THE  MIDDLE  AGES.  Fully 
Illustrated.     Crown  Zvo.     6s. 

Langbridge(F.)M.A.  BALLADS  OF  THE 

BRAVE  :  Poems  of  Chivalry,  Enterprise, 
Courage,  and  Constancy.  Second  Edition. 
Crown  Zvo.     zs.  6d. 

"•aw  (William).     See  Library  of  Devotion. 

jeach (Henry).  THE  DUKE  OF  DEVON- 
SHIRE.    A  Biography.     With  12  Illustra- 
tions.   Demy  Zvo.     12s.  6d.  net. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 

Lee  (Captain  L.  Melville).  A  HISTORY 
OF  POLICE  IN  ENGLAND.  CrownZvo. 
3-f.  6d.  net. 

Leigh (Percival).  THE  COMIC  ENGLISH 

GRAMMAR.  Embellished  with  upwards 
of  50  characteristic  Illustrations  by  John 
Leech.     Posti6mo.     2s.6d.net. 

Lewes  (V.B.),  M.A.  AIR  AND  WATER. 
Illustrated.     Crown  Zvo.     is.  6d. 

Lisle  (For  tun^e  de).    See  Little  Bookson  Art. 

Littlehales  (H.).     See  Antiquary's  Books. 

Lock  (Walter),  D.D.,  Warden  of  Keble 
College.  ST.  PAUL,  THE  MASTER- 
BUILDER.  Second  Edition.  CrowtiZvo. 
is.  6d. 

♦THE  BIBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  LIFE: 
Being  Addresses  and  Sermons.  C>own 
Svo.     6s. 

See  also  Leaders  of  Religion  and  Library 
of  Devotion. 

LoCke  (John).  See  Methuen's  Standard 
Library. 

Locker  (F.).     See  Little  Library. 

LongfellOW  (H.  W.)     See  Little  Library. 

Loiiiner   (George  Horace).     LETTERS 
FROM    A    SELF-MADE   MERCHANT 
TO  HIS  SON.  Thirteenth  Edition.  Clown 
Zvo.    6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 

OLD  GORGON  GRAHAM.  Second  Edition. 
Crown  Zvo.    6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 

Lover  (Samuel).  See  Illustrated  Pocket 
Library. 


E.  V.  L.  and  C.  L.  G.    ENGLAND  DAY  BY 

DAY  :   Or,  The  Englishman's  Handbook  to 
Efficiency.   Illustrated  bv  George  Morrow. 
Fourth  Edition.    Ecap.  t,to      is.  net. 
A  burlesque  Year-Book  and  Almanac. 

Lucas(E.V.).  THE  LIFE  OF  CHARLES 
LAMB.  With  numerous  Portraits  and 
Illustrations.  Two  Vols.  Demy  Zvo.  21.V. 
net. 

A    WANDERER   IN    HOLLAND.       With 
many  Illustrations,  of  which  20  are  in  Colour 
by  Herbert  Marshall.    Crown  Zvo.    6s. 
A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 

Luciail.     See  Classical  Translations. 

Lyde  (L.  W.),  M.A.     See  Commercial  Series. 

Lydon  (Noel  S.).     See  Junior  School  Books. 

Lyttelton (Hon.  Mrs.  A.).  WOMEN  AND 
THEIR  WORK.     Crown  Zvo.     is.  6d. 

M.  M.  HOW  TO  DRESS  AND  WHAT  TO 
WEAR.     Crown  Zvo.    is.  net. 

Macaulay(Lord).  CRITICAL  AND  HIS- 
TORICAL ESSAYS.  Edited  by  F.  C.  Mon- 
tague, M.A.  Three  Volumes.  Crown  Zvo. 
18  J, 

The  only  edition  of  this  book  completely 
annotated. 

M'Allen  (J.  E.  B.),  M.A.  See  Commercial 
Series. 

MacCullOCh  (J.  A.).  See  Churchman's 
Library. 

*MacCunn  (Florence).    MARY  STUART. 

With    over    60    Illustrations,    including    a 

Frontispiece  in  Photogravure.     Demy  Zvo. 

jos.  6d.  net. 
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also  Leaders  of  Religion. 
McDermOtt  (E.  E.).     See  Books  on  Business. 
M'Dowall  (A.  S.).     See  Oxford  Biographies. 
Mackay(A.  Xrl.).     See  Churchman's  Library. 

Magnus  (Laurie),  M.A.    A  PRIMER  OF 

WORDSWORTH.     Crown  Zvo      is.  6d. 

Mahaffy  (J.  P.),  Litt.D.    A  history  of 

THE  EGYPT  OF  THE  PTOLEMIES. 
Fully  Illustrated.  CrownZvo.  6s. 
Maitland(F.  W.).  LL.D.,  Downing  Professor 
of  the  Laws  of  England  in  the  University  of 
Cambridge.  CANON  LAW  IN  ENG- 
LAND.    Royal  Zvo.     7s.  6d. 

Maiden  (H.  E.),  M.A.     ENGLISH    RE- 

CORDS.  A  Companion  to  the  History  of 
England.     Crown  Zvo.     ^s.  6d. 

THE^ENGLISH  CITIZEN  :  HIS  RIGHTS 
AND  DUTIES.  Second  Edition.  Crown 
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»A  SCHOOL  HISTORY  OF  SURREY. 
With  many  Illustrations.   CrownZvo.   is.6d. 

Marchant  (E.  C),  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Peter- 
house,  Cambridge.  A  GREEK  ANTHO- 
LOGY. Second  Edition.  Crown  Zvo.  3^.  6d. 

Marchant  <C.  E),  M.A.,  and  Cook  (A.  M.), 
M.A.  PASSAGES  FOR  UNSEEN 
TRANSLATION.  Second  Edition.  Crown 
Zvo.     35.  6d. 

MnrlOWe  (ChristCpllCr).  Sec  Methuen's 
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12 


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Maskell  (A.)    See  Connoisseur's  Library. 

MaSOn(A.  J.),  D.  D.    See  Leaders  of  Religion. 

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'Milton,  John,  THE  POEMS  OF,  BOTH 
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Musick. 
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OF  BIOLOGY.  Illustrated.  Second  Edi- 
tion.   Crown  Svo.    6s. 

*Mitton  (G.  E.).  JANE  AUSTEN  AND 
HER  ENGLAND.  With  many  Portraits 
and  Illustrations.  Demy  Svo.  10s.  6d.  net. 
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'Moil     (A).'     See  Books  on  Business. 

Moir  (D.  M.).     See  Little  Library. 

"Money  (L.  G.  Chiozza).    WEALTH  AND 

POVERTY.     Demy  Svo.     5s.  net. 
Moore  (H.  E.).     See  Social  Questions  Series. 

Moran  (Clarence   G).     See    Books    on 

Business. 
More  (Sir  Thomas).  See  Methuen's  Standard 

Library. 
Morfill  (W.   R.),   Oriel  College,  Oxford.      A 

HISTORY  OF  RUSSIA  FROM  PETER 

THE    GREAT    TO    ALEXANDER   II. 

With  Maps  and  Plans.     Crown  Svo.     31.  6d. 
MoriCh(R.  J.),  late  of  Clifton  College.     See 

School  Examination  Series. 
*MorriS  (J.)    THE  MAKERS  OF  JAPAN. 

With    many     portraits    and     Illustrations. 

Demy  Svo.     12s.  6d.  net. 

A  Colonial  Edition  is  also  published. 
Morris  (J.  E).     See  The  Little  Guides. 

Morton  (Miss  Anderson).    See  Miss  Brod- 

rick. 
MOUle  (H.  C.  G.),  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  Dur- 
ham.    See  Leaders  of  Religion. 

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CHEMISTRY  OF  FIRE.  The  Elementary 

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Mundella  (V.  A.),  M.A.     See  J.  T.  Dunn. 
Munro  (R.),  LL.  D.     See  Antiquary's  Books. 
Naval    Officer  (A).     See  Illustrated   Pocket 

Library. 
Neal  (W:  G.).    See  R.  N.  Hall. 
Newman  (J.  H.)  and  others.    See  Library 

of  Devotion. 
Nichols  (J.  B.  B.).     See  Little  Library. 
Hicklin     (T.).      M.A.       EXAMINATION 

PAPERS    IN    THUCYDIDES.     Crown 

Svo.     2S. 
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Northcote  (James).  R.A.  THE  CONVER. 

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Oliphant  (Mrs.).     S=c  Leaders  of  Religion. 


General  Literature 


13 


Oman(0.  W.  C).  M.A.,  Fellow  of  All  Souls', 
Oxford.  A  HISTORY  OF  THE  ART  OF 
WAR.  Vol.  11.:  The  Middle  Ages,  from 
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Ottley  (R.L.),  D.D.  See  Handbooks  of 
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HYGIENE.  With  numerous  Illustrations. 
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Parker  (Gilbert).  A  LOVER'S  DIARY  : 
SONGS  IN  SEQUENCE.   Fcap.  Zvo.   5s. 

Parkinson  (John).    PARADISI  IN  SOLE 

PARADISUS  TERRISTRIS,  OR  A 
GARDEN  OF  ALL  SORTS  OF  PLEA- 
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Parmenter(John).  HELIO-TROPES,  OR 
NEW  POSIES  FOR  SUNDIALS,  1625. 
Edited  by  Percival  Landon.  Quarto. 
3s.  6d.  net. 

Parmentier  (Prof.  Leon).    See  Byzantine 

Texts. 
Pascal.     See  Library  of  Devotion. 

'Paston  (George).  SOCIAL  CARICA- 
TURES OF  THE  EIGHTEENTH 
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net.  See  also  Little  Books  on  Art  and  Illus- 
trated Pocket  Library. 

Paterson  (W.  R.)(Benjamin  Swift).  LIFE'S 
QUESTIONINGS.  Crown  Zvo.  3s.  6d. 
net. 

Patterson  (A.  H.).  NOTES  OF  AN  EAST 
COAST  NATURALIST.  Illustrated  in 
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*NATURE  NOTES  IN  EASTERN  NOR- 
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Library. 

Petrie  ( W.  M.  Flinders),  D.  C.  L. ,  LL.  D.  Pro- 
fessor of  Egyptology  at  University  College. 
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General  Literature 


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Sargeaunt  (J.),  M.A.  ANNALS  OF 
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Sathas  (C).     See  Byzantine  Texts. 

Schmitt  (John).     See  Byzantine  Texts. 

Scott,  (A.  M.).  WINSTON  SPENCER 
CHURCHILL.  With  Portraits  and  Illus- 
trations.    Crown  Zvo.     3*.  6d. 

Seeley(H.G.)F.R.S.  DRAGONS  OF  THE 
AIR.  With  many  Illustrations.   Cr.Zvo.  6s. 

Sells  (V.  P.),  M.A.  THE  MECHANICS 
OF  DAILY  LIFE.  Illustrated.  Cr.  Zvo. 
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Selous  (Edmund).  TOMMY  SMITH'S 
ANIMALS.  Illustrated  by  G.  W.  Ord. 
Third  Edition.     Fcap.  Zvo.     2s.  6d. 

Settle     (J.      H.).        ANECDOTES      OF 
SOLDIERS,  in  Peace  and  War.     Crown 
Zvo.    3s.  6d.  net. 
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Shakespeare  (William). 

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The  Arden  Shakespeare. 

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General  Editor,  W.  J.  Craig.     An  Edition 

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HAMLET.       Edited  by  Edward  Dowden, 

Litt.D. 
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Dowden,  Litt.D. 
KING  LEAR.     Edited  by  W.  J.  Craig. 
JULIUS    CAESAR.      Edited  by   M.    Mac- 

millan,  M.A. 
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Luce. 
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StOddart    (Anna    M.).      See    Oxford    Bio- 

graph  ies. 
Stone    (E.    D.),    M.A.      SELECTIONS 

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Straker  (F. ).     See  Books  on  Business. 
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ings. Revised  by  J.  Charles  Cox,  LL.D., 
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Stuart  (Capt.  Donald).  THE  STRUGGLE 

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6s. 

*SturCh(F.).,  Staff  Instructor  to  the  Surrey 
County  Council.  SOLUTIONS  TO  THE 
CITY  AND  GUILDS  QUESTIONS 
IN  MANUAL  INSTRUCTION  DRAW- 
ING.     Imp.  4 to. 

"Suckling  (Sir  John).      FRAGMENTA 

AUREA:  a  Collection  of  all  the  Incom- 
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1646. 

SuddardS  (F.).     See  C.  Stephenson. 

Surtees  (R.  S.).  See  Illustrated  Pocket 
Library. 

Swift  (Jonathan).  THE  JOURNAL  TO 
STELLA  Edited  by  G.  A.  Aitken.  Cr. 
Svo.     6s. 

Symes  (J.  E.),  M.A.  THE  FRENCH  RE- 
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GERMANIA.  By  the  same  Editor.  Fcap 
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Tallack  (W.)  HOWARD  LETTERS 
AND  MEMORIES.  Demy  Svo.  \os.  6d. 
net. 

Tauler  (J.).     See  Library  of  Devotion. 

Taunton  (E.  L.).  A  HISTORY  OF  THE 
JESUITS  IN  ENGLAND.  With  Illus- 
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A   Book   of   Devotions.     Edited  by  J.   W. 

Stanbridge.  B.D.    Second  Edition. 
Lyra    Innocentium.        Edited    by    Walter 

Lock,  D.D. 
A  Serious  Call  to  a  Devout  and  Holy 

Life.     Edited  by  C.   Bigg,  D.D.     Second 

Edition. 
The  Temple.     Edited   by 

D.D.    Second  Edition. 
A  Guide  to   Eternity. 

Stanbridge,  B.D. 
The  Psalms  op  David. 

Randolph,  D.D. 
Lyra  Apostolica.     Edited  by  Canon  Scott 

Holland  and  Canon  H.  C.  Beeching,  M.A. 
The  Inner  Way.     By  J.  Tauler.     Edited  by 

A.  W.  Hutton,  M.A. 
The  Thoughts  of  Pascal.     Edited  by  C. 

S.  Jerram,  M.A. 


E.  C.  S.  Gibson, 
Edited  by  J.  W. 
Edited  by  B.  W. 


On  the  Love  of  God.      By  St.   Francis  de 

Sales.     Edited  by  W.  J.  Knox-Little,  INI. A. 
A    Manual    of     Consolation    from    the 

Saints  and   Fathers.     Edited  by  J.  H. 

Burn,  B.D. 
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M.A. 
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C.  C.  J.  Webb,  M.A. 
Grace  Abounding.  ByJohnBunyan.  Edited 

by  S.  C.  Freer,  M.A. 
Bishop  Wilson's  Sacra  Privata.      Edited 

by  A.  E.  Burn,  B.D. 
Lyra    Sacra  :    A    Book    of   Sacred    Verse. 

Edited  by  H.  C.  Beeching,  M.A.,  Canon  of 

Westminster. 
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Edited  by  J.  H.  Burn,  B.D. 
Heavenly  Wisdom.     A  Selection  from  the 

English  Mystics.     Edited  by  E.  C.  Gregory. 
Light,  Life,  and  Love.   A  Selection  from  the 

German  Mystics.     Edited  by  W.  R.  Inge, 

M.A. 
*The  Devout  Lifeof  St.  Francis  de  Sales. 

Translated  and  Edited  by  T.  Barns,  M.A. 


General  Literature 


23 


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General  Literature 


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ia  English  and  other  literatures,  in  the  domains  of  fiction,  poetry,  and  belles  lettres. 
The  series  also  contains  volumes  of  selections  in  prose  and  verse. 

The  books  are  edited  with  the  most  sympathetic  and  scholarly  care.  Each  one 
contains  an  introduction  which  gives  (1)  a  short  biography  of  the  author;  (2)  a 
critical  estimate  of  the  book.  Where  they  are  necessary,  short  notes  are  added  at 
the  foot  of  the  page. 


General  Literature 


27 


Each  volume  has  a  photogravure  frontispiece,  and  the  books  are  produced  with 
great  care. 


Anon.  ENGLISH  LYRICS,  A  LITTLE 
BOOK  OF. 

Austen  (Jane).  PRIDE  AND  PREJU- 
DICE. Edited  by  E.  V.  Lucas.  Two 
Volumes. 

NORTHANGER  ABBEY.  Edited  by  E.  V. 
Lucas. 

Bacon  (Francis).  THE  ESSAYS  OF 
LORD    BACON.       Edited    by  .  Edward 

\ V  RTCHT 

Barham  (R.  H.).  THE  INGOLDSBY 
LEGENDS.  Edited  by  J.  B.  Atlay. 
Two  Volumes. 

Barnett  (Mrs.  P.  A.).    A  LITTLE  BOOK 

OF  ENGLISH  PROSE. 
Eeckford  (William).      THE   HISTORY 

OF   THE  CALIPH   VATHEK.     Edited 

by  E.  Denison  Ross. 
Blake  (William).    SELECTIONS  FROM 

WILLIAM    BLAKE.     Edited  by  M. 

Perugini. 

Borrow  (George),    lavengro.    Edited 

by  F.  Hindes  Groome.     Two  Volumes. 
THE    ROMANY    RYE.      Edited  by  John 

Sampson. 
Browning  (Robert).    SELECTIONS 

FROM  THE  EARLY  POEMS  OF 
ROBERT  BROWNING.  Edited  by  W. 
Hall  Griffin,  MA. 

Canning  (George).  SELECTIONS  FROM 
THE  ANTI-JACOBIN:  with  George 
Canning's  additional  Poems.  Edited  by 
Lloyd  Sanders. 

Cowley  (Abraham).    THE  ESSAYS  OF 

ABRAHAM  COWLEY.    Edited  by  H.  C. 

MlNCHIN. 

Crabbe  (George).  SELECTIONS  FROM 
GEORGE  CRABBE.  Edited  by  A.  C. 
Deane. 

Craik  (Mrs.).     JOHN  HALIFAX, 

GENTLEMAN.  Edited  by  Anne 
Matheson.     Two  Volumes. 

Crawshaw  (Richard),    the  ENGLISH 

POEMS  OF  RICHARD  CRAWSHAW. 

Edited  by  Edward  Hutton. 

Dante  (Alighieri).    THE  INFERNO  OF 

DANTE.       Translated  by  H.    F.   Cary. 

Edited  by  Paget  Toynbee,  M.A.,  D.Litt. 
THE  PURGATORIO  OF  DANTE.    Trans- 

lated  by  H.  F.  Cary.     Edited  by  Paget 

Toynbee,  M.A.,  D.Litt. 
THE    PARADISO    OF    DANTE.      Trans- 

lated  by  H.  F.  Cary.     Edited  by  Paget 

Toynbee,  M.  A.,  D.Litt. 
Darley  (George).    SELECTIONS  FROM 

THE  POEMS  OF  GEORGE  DARLEY. 

Edited  by  R.  A.  Streatfeild. 
Deane  (A.  C).     A  LITTLE   BOOK  OF 

LIGHT  VERSE. 
Dickens  (Charles).  CHRISTMAS  BOOKS. 

Two  Volumes. 


Ferrier  (Susan).  MARRIAGE.  Edited 
by  A.  Goodrich  -  Freer  and  Lord 
Iddesleigh.     Two  Volumes. 

THE  INHERITANCE.     Two  Volumes. 

GaskeU(Mrs.).  CRANFORD.  Edited  by 
E.  V.  Lucas. 

Hawthorne  (Nathaniel).  THE  SCARLET 

LETTER.     Edited  by  Percy  Dearmer. 

Henderson  (T.  F.).  A  LITTLE  BOOK 
OF  SCOTTISH  VERSE. 

KeatS  (John).  POEMS.  With  an  Intro- 
duction by  L.  Binyon,  and  Notes  by  J. 
Masefield. 

Kinglake  (A.  W.).  EOTHEN.  With  an 
Introduction  and  Notes. 

Lamb  (Charles),     elia,    AND    THE 

LAST   ESSAYS   OF    ELIA.     Edited   by 

E.  V.  Lucas. 
Locker  (F.).    LONDON  LYRICS.    Edited 

by  A.  D.  Godley,  M.A.     A  reprint  of  the 

First  Edition. 
Longfellow  (H.  W.).    SELECTIONS 

FROM     LONGFELLOW.        Edited    by 

L.  M.  Faithfull. 
Marvell  (Andrew).     THE   POEMS   OF 

ANDREW    MARVELL.     Edited   by   E. 

Wright. 
Milton  (John).     THE  MINOR  POEMS 

OF  JOHN  MILTON.     Edited  by  H.  C. 

Beeching,  M.A.,  Canon  of  Westminster. 
Moir(D.  M).    MANSIE  WAUCH.    Edited 

by  F.  Henderson. 
Nichols  (J.  B.  B.).  A  LITTLE  BOOK  OF 

ENGLISH  SONNETS. 
Rochefoucauld  (La).  THE  MAXIMS  OF 

LA    ROCHEFOUCAULD.       Translated 
by  Dean  Stanhope.      Edited  by  G.   H. 

Powell. 

Smith  (Horace  and  James).  REJECTED 

ADDRESSES.     Edited  by  A.  D.  Godley, 
M.A. 

Sterne  (Laurence).    A  SENTIMENTAL 

JOURNEY.     Edited  by  H.  W.  Paul. 

Tennyson  (Alfred,  Lord).  THE  EARLY 
POEMS  OF  ALFRED,  LORD  TENNY- 
SON. Edited  by  J.  Churton  Collins, 
M.A. 

IN  ME  MORI  AM.  Edited  by  H.  C 
Beeching,  M.A. 

THE  PRINCESS.  Edited  by  Elizabeth 
Wordsworth. 

MAUD.  Edited  by  Elizabeth  Wordsworth. 

Thackeray (W. M.).    vanity  FAIR. 

Edited  by  S.  Gwynn.      Three  Volumes. 
PENDENNIS.     Edited  by  S.   Gwynn. 

Three  Volumes. 
ESMOND.     Edited  by  S.  Gwynn. 
CHRISTMAS  BOOKS.  Edited  by  S.  Gwynn. 
Vaughan  (Henry).     THE   POEMS   OF 

HENRY  VAUGHAN.  Edited  by  Edward 

Hutton. 

[Continued. 


28 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Catalogue 


The  Little  Library — continued. 

Walton    (Izaak).      the    compleat 

ANGLER.     Edited  by  J.  Buchan. 


Wordsworth  (W.).  SELECTIONS  FROM 

WORDSWORTH.      Edited    by  Nowell 

C.  Smith. 
Wordsworth  (W.)  and  Coleridge  (S.  T.). 

LYRICAL  BALLADS.   Edited  by  George 

Sampson. 


Waterhouse  (Mrs.  Alfred).    A  LITTLE 

BOOK  OF  LIFE  AND  DEATH.   Edited 
by.    Seventh  Edition. 

Miniature  Library,  Methuen's 

Reprints  in  miniature  of  a  few  interesting  books  which  have  qualities  of 
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Euphranor:  A  Dialogue  on  Youth.  By 
Edward  FitzGerald.  From  the  edition  pub- 
lished by  W.  Pickering  in  1851.  Demy 
32mo.     Leather,  2s.  net. 

Polonius:  or  Wise  Saws  and  Modern  In- 
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The  RubAiyat  of  Omar  Khayyam.  By 
Edward  FitzGerald.  From  the  1st  edition 
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The  Oxford 

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Dante  Alighieri.    By  Paget  Toynbee,  M.A., 

D.Litt.      With    12    Illustrations.       Second 

Edition. 
Savonarola.     By  E.  L.  S.  Horsburgh,  M.A. 

With  12  Illustrations.     Second  Edition. 
John  Howard.     By  E.  C.  S.  Gibson,  D.D., 

Vicar  of  Leeds.     With  12  Illustrations. 
Tennyson.    By  A.  C.  Benson,  M.A.    With 

9  Illustrations. 
Walter  Raleigh.     By  I.  A.  Taylor      With 

12  Illustrations. 
Erasmus.  _  By  E.  F.   H.   Capey.      With   12 

Illustrations. 
The  Young  Pretender.     By   C.    S.   Terry. 

With  12  Illustrations. 


The  Life  of  Edward,  Lord  Herbert  of 
Cherbury.  Written  by  himself.  From 
the  edition  printed  at  Strawberry  Hill  in 
the  year  1764.  Medium  %2mo.  Leather, 
2s.  net. 

The  Visions  of  Dom  Francisco  Quevhdo 
Villegas,  Knight  of  the  Order  of  St. 
James.  Made  English  by  R.  L.  From  the 
edition  printed  for  H.  Herringman,  1668. 
Leather.     2s.  net. 

Poems.  By  Dora  Greenwell.  From  the  edi- 
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Biographies 

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Robert    Burns.       By    T.     F.     Henderson. 

With  12  Illustrations. 
Chatham.     By  A.    S.    M'Dowall.     With   12 

Illustrations. 
St.  Francis  of  Assisi.    By  Anna  M.  Stod- 

dart.     With  16  Illustrations. 
Canning.  _    By  W.   A.    Phillips.       With   12 

Illustrations. 
Beaconsfield.     By  Walter  Sichel.     With  12 

Illustrations. 
Goethb.     By  H.  G.  Atkins.     With  12  Illus- 
trations. 
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to     the    Publishers.        Fifth    Edition. 
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Examination  Papers  in  English  History. 
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General  Literature 


29 


Social  Questions  of  To-day 

Edited  by  H.  de  B.  GIBBINS,  Litt.D.,  M.A.     Crown  8vo.  is.  6d. 

A  series  of  volumes  upon  those  topics  of  social  economic,  and  industrial  interest 
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Trade  Unionism — New  and  Old.     By  G. 

Howell.     Third  Edition. 
The  Co-operative  Movement  To-day.     By 

G.  J.  Holyoake.     Fourth  Edition. 
Problems  of  Poverty.     By  J.  A.   Hobson, 

M.A.     Fifth  Edition. 
The  Commerce  of    Nations.      By    C.    F. 

Bastable,  M.A.     Third  Edition. 
The  Alien  Invasion.  By  W.  H.  Wilkins.B.  A. 
The     Rural     Exodus.       By     P.    Anderson 

Graham. 
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B.A. 
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and  R.  A.  Hadfield. 
Back  to  the  Land.     An  Inquiry  into  Rural 

Depopulation.     By  H.  E.  Moore. 
Trusts,  Pools,  and  Corners.  By  J.  Stephen 

Jeans. 


The  Factory  System. 

Taylor. 
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Tuckwell. 
Women's    Woric.       By    Lady 

Bulley,  and  Miss  Whitley. 
Socialism  and  Modern  Thought. 

Kauffmann. 
The  Problem  of  the  Unemployed. 

A.  Hobson,  M.A. 
Life  in  West  London.     By  Arthur  Sherwell, 

M.A.     'Third  Edition. 
Railway    Nationalization.      By    Clemem 

Edwards. 
Workhouses  and   Pauperism.      By  Louisa 

Twining. 
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W.  Reason,  M.A. 


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By  M. 
By  J. 


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Edited  by  SIDNEY  LEE.     In  Sixpenny  Volumes. 

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edition  at  a  moderate  price  is  in  existence.  It  is  their  ambition  to  place  the  best  books  of  all 
nations,  and  particularly  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  within  the  reach  of  every  reader.  All  the 
great  masters  of  Poetry,  Drama,  Fiction,  History,  Biography,  and  Philosophy  will  be  repre- 
sented. Mr.  Sidney  Lee  is  the  General  Editor  of  the  Library,  and  he  contributes  a  Note  to 
each  book.  The  characteristics  of  Methuen's  Standard  Library  are  five  : — 1.  Soundness 
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In  a  few  cases  very  long  books  are  issued  as  Double  Volumes  at  One  Shilling  net  or  as  Treble 
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These  are  the  early  Books,  all  of  which  are  in  the  Press — 

The  Works  of  William  Shakespeare.     In  | 
10  volumes. 
Vol.  1. — The  Tempest ;  The  Two  Gentlemen 


of  Verona  ;  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor 

Measure   for   Measure  ;   The   Comedy   of 

Errors. 
Vol.  n. — Much  Ado  About  Nothing  ;  Love's 

Labour 's   Lost ;    A   Midsummer   Night's 

Dream  ;  The  Merchant  of  Venice  ;  As  You 

Like  It. 
Vol.  ill. — The  Taming  of  the  Shrew  ;  AH  's 

Well  that  Ends  Well;  Twelfth  Night  ;  The 

Winter's  Tale. 
*Vol.  iv.— The  Life  and  Death  of  King  John ; 

The  Tragedy  of  King  Richard  the  Second  ; 

The  First  Part  of  King  Henry  iv.  ;  The 

Second  Part  of  King  Henry  iv. 


Vol.  v.— The  Life  of  King  Henry  v.  ;  The 
First  Part  of  King  Henry  vi.  ;  The  Second 
Part  of  King  Henry  vi. 
*Vol.  vi.— The  Third  Part  of  King  Henry  vi. : 
The  Tragedy  of  King  Richard  in. ;  The 
Famous    History  of   the    Life    of   King 
Henry  vm. 
The  Pii  grim's  Progress.     By  John  Bunyan. 
The  Novels  of  Jane  Austen.    In  5  volumes. 

Vol.  1. — Sense  and  Sensibility. 
The  English  Works  of  Francis  Bacon, 
Lord  Verulam. 
Vol.  I. — Essays  and  Counsels  and  the  New 
Atlantis. 
The  Poems  andPlaysofOliver  Goldsmith. 
On  the  Imitation  of  Christ.     By  Thomas 
a  Kempis. 

[Continued. 


30 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Catalogue 


Methuen's  Standard  Library — continued. 

The  Works  ok  Ben  Jonson.     In  about  12 
volumes. 
*Vol.  1.— The  Case  is  Altered  ;  Every  Man 
in  His  Humour;  Every  Man  out  of  His 
Humour. 
*Vol.  11.— Cynthia's  Revels;  The  Poetaster. 
The  Prose  Works  of  John  Milton. 

*Vol.  I. — Eikonoklastes  and  The  Tenure  of 
Kings  and  Magistrates. 
Select  Works  of  Edmund  Burke. 

Vol.1. — Reflections  on  the  French  Revolution. 
The  Works  of  Henry  Fielding. 

Vol.  1. — Tom  Jones.     (Treble  Volume.) 
The  Poems  of  Thomas  Chatterton.    In  2 
volumes. 
"Vol.  I. — Miscellaneous  Poems. 
*The  Life  of  Nelson.     By  Robert  Souther. 
The  Meditations  of   Marcus    Aurelius. 

Translated  by  R.  Graves. 
The  History  of  the  Decline  and  Fall  of 
the  Roman  Empire.     By  Edward  Gibbon. 
In  7  volumes. 

The  Notes  have   been  revised  by  J.    B. 
Bury,  Litt.D. 
The  Plays  of  Christopher  Marlowe. 

*Vol.  1. — Tamburlane  the  Great;  The  Tragi- 
cal History  of  Doctor  Faustus. 
*The  Natural  History  and  Antiquities  of 
Selborne.    By  Gilbert  White. 


The  Poems  of  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley.     In 
4  volumes. 
*Vol.  I.— Alastor  ;  The  Daemon  of  the  World  ; 

The  Revolt  of  Islam,  etc. 
*Vol.  11. — Prometheus  Unbound  ;  The  Cenci ; 
The  Masque  of  Anarchy ;  Peter  Bell  the 
Third  ;  Ode  to  Liberty  ;  The  Witch  of 
Atlas  ;  Ode  to  Naples  ;  CEdipus  Tyrannus. 
The  text  has  been  revised  by  C.  D.  Locock. 
*The    Little    Flowers    of    St.    Francis. 

Translated  by  W.  Heywood. 
The  Works  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne.     In  6 
volumes. 
*Vol.  I.— Religio  Medici  and  Urn  Burial. 
The  Poems  of  John  Milton.     In  2  volumes. 
*Vol.  I.  —  Paradise  Lost. 

*Vol.  II. — Miscellaneous  Poem.; and  Paradise 
Regained. 
Select  Works  of  Sir  Thomas  More. 

*Vol.  I. — Utopia  and  Poems. 
*Thb  Analogy  of  Religion,  Natural  and 

Revealed.     By  Joseph  Butler,  D.D. 
■"The  Plays  of  Philip  Massingek. 

Vol.  I.— The   Duke  of  Milan  ;  The   Bond- 
man ;  The  Roman  Actor. 
'The  Poems  of  John  Keats, 
*The  Republic  of  Plato. 
Taylor  and  Sydenham. 


In  2  volumes. 
Translated   by 


Technology,  Textbooks  of 

Edited  by  Professor  J.  WERTHEIMER,  F.I.C. 

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Carpentry  and  Joinery.    By  F.  C.  Webber. 

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Practical  Mechanics.  By  Sidney  H.  Wells. 

Third  Edition.     Cro?un  Zvo.     3s.  6d. 
Practical  Physics.     By  H.   Stroud,  D.Sc, 

M.A.     Crown  Zvo.     3s.  6d. 
Millinery,   Theoretical  and  Practical. 

By  Clare  Hill.   Second  Edition.  Crown  Zvo. 

2S. 

Practical  Chemistry.  Part  1.  By  W. 
French,  M.A.  Crown  Zvo.  Third  Edition, 
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French,  M.A.,  and  T.  H.  Boardman,  M.A. 

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Crown  Zvo.     4s.  6d. 
Repousse  Metal  Work.     By  A.  C.  Horth. 
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Theology,  Handbooks  of 

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and  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford. 
The  series  is  intended,  in  part,  to  furnish  the  clergy  and  teachers  or  students  of 
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accurate  and  concise  statement  of  facts  and  principles  in  all  questions  bearing  on 
Theology  and  Religion. 


The  XXXIX.  Articles  of  the  Church  of 
England.  Edited'  by  E.  C  S.  Gibson, 
D.D.  Third  and  Cheaper  Edition  in  one 
Volume.     Dcmv  tvo.     12s.  6d. 


An    Introduction 
Religion.       By 
Litt.D.        Third 
ics.  6d. 


to  the  History  of 
F.  B.  Jevons,  M.A., 
Edition.        Demy   Zvo. 

[Continued. 


General  Literature 


3i 


Handbooks  of  Theology — continued. 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Incarnation.    By  R. 

L.    Ottley,    D.D.      Second    and   Cheaper 

Edition.     Demy  Svo.     izs.  6d. 
An  Introduction  to  the  History  of  the 

Creeds.      By   A.   E.  Burn.  B.D.      Demy 

Svo.     jos.  6d. 


The  Philosophy  of  Religion  in  England 

and  America.     By  Alfred  Caldecott,  D.D. 

Demy  Svo.     10s.  6d. 
A  History  of  Early  Christian  Doctrine. 

By  J.  F.  Bethune  Baker,  M.A.    Demy  Svo. 

10s.  6d. 


Westminster  Commentaries,  The 

General  Editor,  WALTER  LOCK,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Keble  College, 
Dean  Ireland's  Professor  of  Exegesis  in  the  University  of  Oxford. 
The  object  of  each  commentary  is  primarily  exegetical,  to  interpret  the  author's 
meaning  to  the  present  generation.  The  editors  will  not  deal,  except  very  subor- 
dinately,  with  questions  of  textual  criticism  or  philology ;  but,  taking  the  English 
text  in  the  Revised  Version  as  their  basis,  they  will  try  to  combine  a  hearty  accept- 
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Fiction 


33 


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34 


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Crozvn  8vo.    6s. 

GRAN'MA'S  JANE.     Crown  8vo.     6s. 


Fiction 


35 


MRS.  PETER  HOWARD.    Crown  Svo.    6s. 
A    WINTER'S    TALE.       A    New   Edition. 

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6s. 
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of  Morrice  Buckler,'  'Miranda  of  the  Bal- 
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Messenger.'      VIVIEN.       Third  Edition. 

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Crenvn  Svo.    6s. 
RESURGAM.  _  Crown  Svo.    6s. 

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HEART.     CrownSvo.    6s. 
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GREAT  RECONCILER.  Crown  Zvo.  6s. 

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SPIDER.       Illustrated.       Si.ith.  Edition. 

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Fiction 


37 


Weymail  ^Stanley),  Author  of '  A  Gentleman 
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Encouraged  by  the  great  and  steady  sale  of  their  Sixpenny  Novels,  Messrs.  Methuen  have 
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Balfour  (Andrew).      VENGEANCE    IS 

MINE. 

TO  ARMS. 

Baring-Gould  (S,).    MRS.  CURGENVEN 
OF  CURGENVEN. 

DOMITIA. 

THE  FROBISHERS. 

BarlOW  (Jane).     Author  of  'Irish   Idylls. 
FROM  THE  EAST  UNTO  THE  WEST 

A  CREEL  OF  IRISH  STORIES. 

THE  FOUNDING  OF  FORTUNES. 

Barr  (Robert).    THE  VICTORS. 

Bartram  (George),    thirteen  even- 
ings. 

Benson  (E.   F.),   Author  of     Dodo.'     THE 
CAPSINA. 

Besant  (Sir  Walter).    A  FIVE- YEARS' 

TRYST. 
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THE  LAND. 

Brooke  (Emma).    THE  POET'S  child. 

Bullock  (Shan  F.).    THE  BARRYS. 

THE  CHARMER. 

THE  SQUIREEN. 

THE  RED  LEAGUERS. 

Burton  (J.  BloundeUe).    ACROSS  the 

SALT  SEAS. 
THE  CLASH  OF  ARMS. 
DENOUNCED. 
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RING. 
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THE  FOUNDERED  GALLEON. 
JOHN  TOPP. 


Clifford  (Mrs.  W.  K.).      A    FLASH   OF 

SUMMER. 
Collingwood  (Harry).     THE  DOCTOR 

OF  THE  'JULIET.' 
Cornfield  (L.  Cope).     SONS  OF  ADVER- 

SITY. 
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RAIN. 
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UPFOLD  MANOR. 
Dickson  (Harris).  THE  BLACK  WOLF'S 

BREED. 
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FLAME. 
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SPARK. 
Findlater  (Mary).    OVER  THE  HILLS. 
Forrest    (R.    E.).      THE    SWORD    OF 

AZRAEL. 
Francis  (M.  E.).    MISS  ERIN. 
Gallon  (Tom).    RICKERBY'S  FOLLY. 
Gerard   (Dorothea).      THINGS    THAT 

HAVE  HAPPENED. 

Glanville  (Ernest).     THE  DESPATCH 

RIDER. 
THE  LOST  REGIMENT. 
THE  INCA'S  TREASURE. 
Gordon  (Julien).    MRS.  CLYDE. 
WORLD'S  PEOPLE. 
GOBS  (C.  F.).     THE  REDEMPTION  OF 

DAVID  CORSON. 
Hales  (A.  G.).    JAIR  THE  APOSTATE. 
Hamilton  (.Lord  Ernest).  MARY  HAMIL. 

TON. 


38 


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JOSIAH'S  WIFE. 
THE  AUTOCRATS. 
THE    STORY    OF 


THE    PUPPET 


Harrison  (Mrs.  Burton).    A  PRINCESS- 

OF  THE  HILLS.     Illustrated. 
Hooper  (I.).  THE  SINGER  OF  MARLY. 
Hough  (Emerson).     THE  MISSISSIPPI 

BUBBLE. 

'Iota'  (Mrs.  Caffyn).    ANNE  maule- 

VERER. 

Kelly  (Florence  Finch).    WITH  HOOPS 
OF  STEEL. 

Lawless  (Hon.  Emily).    MAELCHO. 

Linden  (Annie).  A  WOMAN  OF  SENTI- 
MENT. 

Lorimer  (Norma). 

Lush  (Charles  K.). 

Macdonnell    (A.). 
TERESA. 

Macgrath    (Harold), 
CROWN. 

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IN  THE  DESERT. 

M'QueenGray(E.)  MY  STEWARDSHIP. 

Marsh  (Richard).     THE    SEEN    AND 
THE  UNSEEN. 

GARNERED. 

A  METAMORPHOSIS. 

MARVELS  AND  MYSTERIES. 

BOTH  SIDES  OF  THE  VEIL. 

Mayall  (J.  W.).    THE  CYNIC  AND  THE 
SYREN. 

Meade  (L.  T.).   OUT  OF  THE  FASHION. 

Monkhouse  (Allan).    LOVE  IN  A  LIFE. 

Moore  (Arthur).   THE  KNIGHT  PUNC- 
TILIOUS. 

Nesbit  (Mrs.  Bland).    THE  LITERARY 
SENSE. 

Norris  (W.  E.).    AN  OCTAVE. 

Oliphant  (Mrs.).    THE  PRODIGALS. 

THE  LADY'S  WALK. 

SIR  ROBERT'S  FORTUNE. 

THE  TWO  MARY'S. 


Penny  (Mrs.  F.  A.).    A  MIXED  MARRI- 

AGE. 
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HOURS. 
FANCY  FREE. 

Randal  (J.).  AUNT  BETHIA'S  BUTTON. 
Raymond  (Walter).    FORTUNE'S  DAR. 

LING. 

Rhys  (Grace),   the  diverted  vill. 

AGE. 
Rickert  (Edith).  OUT  OF  THE  CYPRESS 

SWAMP. 
Roberton  (M.  H.).  A  GALLANT  QUAKER. 
Saunders  (Marshall).    ROSE  A  CHAR- 

LITTE. 

Sergeant  (Adeline).     ACCUSED   AND 

ACCUSER. 
BARBARA'S  MONEY. 
THE  ENTHUSIAST. 
A  GREAT  LADY. 
THE  LOVE  THAT  OVERCAME. 
THE  MASTER  OF  BEECHWOOD. 
UNDER  SUSPICION. 
THE  YELLOW  DIAMOND. 
Shannon  (W.  F.).    JIM  TWELVES. 
Strain(E.  H.).    ELMSLIE'S  DRAG  NET. 
Stringer  (Arthur).  THE  SILVER  POPPY. 
Stuart  (Esme).    CHRISTALLA. 
Sutherland  (Duchess  of).    ONE  HOUR 

AND  THE  NEXT. 
Swan  (Annie).    LOVE  GROWN  COLD. 
Swift  (Benjamin).    SORDON. 
Tanqueray  (Mrs.  B.  M.),    THE  ROYAL 

QUAKER. 
Trafford-Taunton  (Mrs.  E.  W.).  SILENT 

DOMINION. 
Waineman(Paul).   A  HEROINE  FROM 

FINLAND. 

Watson  (H.  B.  Marriott-).  THE  SKIRTS 
OF  HAPPY  CHANCE. 


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Gabriel  Lambert. 
Catherine  Blum. 
The   Chevalier   D'Hap.mental.      Double 

volume. 
Sylvandire. 
The  Fencing  Master. 
The  Reminiscences  of  Antony, 
Conscience. 
"The   Regent's    Daughter.     A  Sequel  to 

Chevalier  d'Harmental. 

Illustrated  Edition. 
The    Three    Musketeers.      Illustrated    in 

Colour  by  Frank  Adams.     2s.  6d. 
The    Prince    of    Thieves.       Illustrated   in 

Colour  by  Frank  Adams.     2s. 


Robin   Hood   the   Outlaw.     Illustrated  in 

Colour  by  Frank  Adams.     2s. 
The    Corsican   Brothers.      Illustrated    in 

Colour  by  A.  M.  M'Lellan.     is.  6d. 
The  Wolf-Leader.       Illustrated  in  Colour 

by  Frank  Adams,     is.  6d. 
Georges.   Illustrated  in  Colour  by  Munro  Orr. 

2S. 

Twenty  Years  After.  Illustrated  in  Colour 
by  Frank  Adams.     3s. 

Amaury.  Illustrated  in  Colour  by  Gordon 
Browne.     2s. 

The  Snowball,  and  Sultanetta.  Illus- 
trated in  Colour  by  Frank  Adams.     2s. 

The  Vicomte  de  Bragelonne.  Illustrated 
in  Colour  by  Frank  Adams.     3.?.  6d. 

*Crop-Eared  Jacquot  ;  Jane  ;  Etc.  Illus- 
trated in  Colour  by  Gordon  Browne,    is.  6d. 

The  Castle  of  Eppstein.  Illustrated  in 
Colour  by  Stewart  Orr.     is.  6d. 

Acte.  Illustrated  in  Colour  by  Gordon 
Browne,     is.  6d. 

*Cecile  ;  or,  The  Wedding  Gown.  Illus- 
trated in  Colour  by  D.  Murray  Smith. 
is.  6d. 

*The  Adventures  of  Captain  Pamphile. 
Illustrated  in  Colour  by  Frank  Adams. 
is.  6d. 

*Fernande.  Illustrated  in  Colour  by  Munro 
Orr.     2s. 

'The  Black  Tulip.  Illustrated  i.i  Colour  by 
A.  Orr.     is.  td. 


Methuen's  Sixpenny  Books 


Austen  (Jane).  PRIDE  AND  PRE- 
JUDICE. 

Baden-Powell  (Major-General  R.  S.  S.). 
THE  DOWNFALL  OF  PREMPEH. 

Bagot  (Richard).  A  ROMAN  MYSTERY. 

Balfour  (Andrew).  BY  STROKE  OI 
SWORD. 

Baring-Gould  (S.).    FURZE  BLOOM. 

CHEAP  JACK  ZITA. 

KITTY  ALONE. 

URITH. 

THE  BROOM  SQUIRE. 

IN  THE  ROAR  OF  THE  SEA. 

NOEMI. 

A  BOOK  OF  FAIRY  TALES.     Illustrated. 

LITTLE  TU'PENNY. 

THE  FROBISHERS. 

*WINEFRED. 

Barr  (Robert).  JENNIE  BAXTER, 
JOURNALIST. 

IN  THE  MIDST  OF  ALARMS. 

THE  COUNTESS  TEKLA. 

THE  MUTABLE  MANY. 

Benson  (E.  F.).    DODO. 

Bloundelle-Burton  (J.).  ACROSS  THE 
SALT  SEAS. 

Bronte  (Charlotte).    SHIRLEY. 

Brownell  (C.  L.l.  THE  HEART  OF 
JAPAN. 


Caffyn  (Mrs.),  '  Iota.'     ANNE  MAULE- 

VERER. 
Clifford  (Mrs.  W.  K.).     A    FLASH   OF 

SUMMER. 
MRS.  KEITH'S  CRIME. 
Connell  (F.  Norreys).     THE   NIGGER 

KNIGHTS. 
Cooper  (E.  H.).    A  FOOL'S  YEAR. 
Corbett    (Julian).       A   BUSINESS   IN 

GREAT  WATERS. 
Croker  (Mrs.  B.  M.).     PEGGY  OF  THE 

BARTONS. 
A  STATE  SECRET. 
ANGEL.  JOHANNA. 

Dante  (Alighieri).      THE   VISION   OF 

DANTE  (CARY). 
Doyle  (A.  Conan).    ROUND  THE  RED 

LAMP. 
Duncan  (Sarah  Jeannette).   A  VOYAGE 

OF  CONSOLATION. 
THOSE  DELIGHTFUL  AMERICANS. 
Eliot  (George).      THE   MILL  ON  THE 

FLOSS. 
Findlater   (Jane   H.).     THE    GREEN 

GRAVES  OF  BALGOWRIE. 
Gallon  (Tom).    RICKERBY'S  FOLLY. 
Gaskell  (Mrs.).    CRANFORD. 
MARY  BARTON. 
NORTH  AND  SOUTH. 


40 


Messrs.  Methuen's  Catalogue 


Gerard   (Dorothea).      HOLY   matri- 
mony. 

THE  CONQUEST  OF  LONDON. 
Gissing(George).  THE  TOWN  TRAVEL- 

LER. 
THE  CROWN  OF  LIFE. 
Glanville    (Ernest).      THE    INCA'S 

TREASURE. 
THE  KLOOF  BRIDE. 
Gleig  (Charles).    BUNTER'S  CRUISE. 
Grimm     (The     Brothers).       GRIMM'S 

FAIRY  TALES.     Illustrated. 
Hope  (Anthony).    A  MAN  OF  MARK. 
A  CHANGE  OF  AIR. 
THE  CHRONICLES   OF  COUNT 

ANTONIO. 
PHROSO. 

THE  DOLLY  DIALOGUES. 
Hornung  (E.  W.).      DEAD  MEN  TELL 

NO  TALES. 
Ingraham  (J.  H.).    THE  THRONE  OF 

DAVID. 
Le  Queux  (W.).    THE  HUNCHBACK  OF 

WESTMINSTER. 
Linton  (E.  Lynn).      THE   TRUE   HIS- 
TORY OF  JOSHUA  DAVIDSON. 
Lyall  (Edna).    DERRICK  VAUGHAN. 
Malet  (Lucas).    THE  CARISSIMA. 
A  COUNSEL  OF  PERFECTION. 
Mann    (Mrs.    M.    E.)     MRS.     PETER 

HOWARD. 
A  LOST  ESTATE. 
THE  CEDAR  STAR. 
Marchmont  (A.  W.).     MISER    HOAD- 

LEY'S  SECRET. 
A  MOMENT'S  ERROR. 
Marryat  (Captain).    PETER  SIMPLE. 

iACOB  FAITHFUL, 
larsh  (Richard).  THE  TWICKENHAM 
PEERAGE. 
THE  GODDESS. 
THE  JOSS. 

Mason  (A.  E.  W.).    CLEMENTINA. 
Mathers  (Helen).    HONEY. 
GRIFF  OF  GRIFFITHSCOURT. 
SAM'S  SWEETHEART. 
Meade  (Mrs.  L.  T.).    DRIFT. 
Mitford  (Bertram).  THE  SIGN  OF  THE 

SPIDER. 
Montre^or  (F.  F.).    THE  alien. 


Moore  (Arthur).  THE  GAY  DECEIVERS 
Morrison   (Arthur).     THE    HOLE   IN 

THE  WALL. 
Neshit  (E.).    THE  RED  HOUSE. 
Norris  (W.  E.).    HIS  GRACE. 
GILES  INGILBY. 
THE  CREDIT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 
LORD  LEONARD. 
MATTHEW  AUSTIN. 
CLARISSA  FURIOSA. 

OHphant  (Mrs.),    the  LADY'S  walk. 

SIR  ROBERT'S  FORTUNE. 

Oppenheim  (E.  Phillips),    master  of 

MEN. 

Parker  (Gilbert).    THE  POMP  of  the 

LAVILETTES. 
WHEN  VALMOND  CAME  TO  PONTIAC. 
THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  SWORD. 
Pemberton  (Max).     THE   FOOTSTEPS 

OF  A  THRONE. 
I  CROWN  THEK  KING. 
Phillpotts  (Eden).    THE  HUMAN  BOY. 
CHILDREN  OF  THE  MIST. 
Ridge (W.  Pett).  A  SON  OF  THE  STATE. 
LOST  PROPERTY. 
GEORGE  AND  THE  GENERAL. 

Russell  (W.  Clark).    A  marriage  at 

SEA. 
ABANDONED. 

MY  DANISH  SWEETHEART. 
Sergeant  (Adeline),    THE  MASTER  OF 

BEECHWOOD. 
BARBARA'S  MONEY. 
THE  YELLOW  DIAMOND. 
Surtees   (R.    S.).       HANDLEY    CROSS. 

Illustrated. 
MR.     SPONGE'S     SPORTING     TOUR. 

Illustrated. 
ASK  MAMMA.     Illustrated. 
Valentine  (Major  E.  S.).    VELDT  AND 

LAAGER. 
Walford  (Mrs.  L.  B.)    MR.  SMITH. 
THE  BABY'S  GRANDMOTHER. 

Wallace  (General  Lew).    BEN-HUR. 

THE  FAIR  GOD,. 

Watson  (H.  B.  Marriot).    THE  ADVEN- 
TURERS. 
Weelres  (A.  B.).    PRISONERS  OF  WAR. 
WellS(H.G.).  THE  STOLEN  BACILLUS. 


^ 


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c_2 


DATE  DUE 

CAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  U     S    A. 

UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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